Agenda item

To receive a report from the Corporate Director for Education, Learning and Skills and the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform on the progress made in implementing the Kent Commissioning Plan for Education 2013-2018 since its adoption by Cabinet in October 2013.

(Report by Mr R Gough, Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform and Mr P Gough, Cabinet Member for Education and Young People’s Services Cabinet Committee)

(Mr K Shovelton, Director of Planning and Access was present for this item)

1.            The Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform introduced  the report on the progress made in implementing the Kent Commissioning Plan for Education 2013-18 since its adoption by Cabinet in October 2013.  He advised that the overall delivery of targets set out in the Commissioning Plan had been achieved through providing permanent or temporary school places.  There had been a big shift in the number of inward migration into the County which was putting greater pressure on school places but despite this Kent had sustained a high delivery of parent’s first preference of schools.   Work was continuing to establish seven new primary schools in the County and enhance the capacity of Special Educational Needs provision.

2.            Mr Shovelton advised that a detailed report would be submitted to this Cabinet Committee in September which would detail the plans for the next five years.

3.            Mr Gough, Mr Leeson and Mr Shovelton responded to comments and questions by Members which included the following:

a)     Mr Shovelton advised that options were being look at to mitigate the impact of the expansion of Broomstone Primary School, Broadstairs upon the highways to enable planning consent to be requested.  It is anticipated that proposals would be submitted to the Planning Committee in the Autumn 2014.

b)     Mr Leeson acknowledged concerns raised by Members regarding the number of schools in one local area sponsored by the same Academy Trust. He explained that the Local Authority was only able to put forward its preferred sponsors to the Department for Education (DfE) which made the final decision.

c)      Mr Gough advised that little had change on the issue of Barton Court Grammar School’s proposed relocation to the coast. KCC was unlikely to make a contribution to the school’s proposed move.

d)     Mr Leeson advised that there was an awareness of those schools that were in budget deficit and had low forecast pupil numbers and officers were working with those schools.  Options being considered to ensure the schools’ future viability included; having all-through schools [Combining primary and secondary school education], sustainable Special Educational Needs offers in mainstream schools and expanding the 14-19 year old vocational offer in Further Education Colleges. Where a school was an Academy the local authority could not directly subsidise the school but would have discussions with the DfE or sponsors of the Academy.  Mr Leeson stated the Local Authority would oppose a reduction in the choice of schools where needed and said that the County could not afford to lose any of its schools.

4.            RESOLVED that:-

a)    the responses to Members comments and questions be noted;

b)    a report be submitted to the September meeting of this Cabinet Committee setting out the future commissioning plans for the next five years; and

c)    the progress achieved and the issues identified for further development in the report be noted.