Agenda and minutes

Resolved – That Councillor Garry Perkins Chair this meeting of the Panel.

Councillor Perkins took the Chair. 

Introduction

The Chair explained that this was not a meeting of the Cabinet and referred to the distinct role played by the Cabinet Panel. He made it clear that the Cabinet Panel had no pre-determined view on the item under consideration and would make its decisions on the evidence before it and on the questions and comments arising at the meeting.

The Chair referred to the process to be adopted at the meeting should there be attendance by members of the public.

The Chair reminded Members of the need to declare any known interests in any matters to be considered at the meeting.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 6^th April 2011.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 6^th April 2011, be confirmed as a correct record.

No questions were asked in accordance with Standing Order 28.

The Group Director, Children and the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services submitted a joint report concerning the proposal for the expansion of provision that was recognised by the Local Authority as reserved for pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN) at The Chalet School, Liden Drive, Swindon, by up to 9 pupils to a capacity of 45, and setting out the outcome of the consultation undertaken following the publication of the statutory notice on the proposal.

The Chair, the Senior Secondary Strategy Manager, Schools and Learning, and the Contracts and Strategic Development Officer, Children Services, highlighted the key aspects of the report, in particular, the increasing pressure for the establishment of further specialist provision within Swindon reserved for pupils with Special Educational Needs, in order to provide support for children from 3 to 11 years who had Complex Learning Difficulties, including children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Councillor David Renard, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services,referred to the outcomes of the consultation process undertaken by the Council, and explained that it was the intention to provide additional places at the Chalet Special School by utilising accommodation at the adjacent Liden Primary School. The pupils involved would all have Statements of Special Educational Need or be undergoing statutory assessment.

The Panel noted that the schools involved had confirmed their support for the proposed expansion of specialist provision and that this support was shared across the school community with no objections being received to the public notice. They further noted the reasons why it was necessary to seek a modification to the implementation date to 1^st February 2012.

Councillor David Renard, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, advised that he believed there was a clear case for the proposed expansion of the Chalet School. He drew attention to the support for the provision from the school community as made clear by the pre-statutory and statutory consultation findings and the lack of negative responses to the proposal. 

Resolved – That the Cabinet Panel on School Organisation approves the proposals to expand the provision that is recognised by the Local Authority as reserved for pupils with Special Educational Needs at The Chalet School, Liden Drive, Swindon, by up to 9 pupils to 45,as set out in the statutory notice attached as Appendix 2 to the joint report of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and the Group Director, Children, with the modification that the implementation date be 1^st February 2012, for the reasons set out in the report.

            In reaching its decision, the Cabinet Panel confirmed that it -

·         had carefully considered the joint report and the representations made at the meeting by Council Officers.

·         was satisfied that

o   it had the necessary information in order to make the decision referred to above,

o   the Statutory Notice complied with the statutory requirements,

o   the statutory consultation was carried out properly prior to the publication of the Notice, and

o   the Notice did not relate to any other published proposal.

·         had carefully considered the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.