To consider the private appendix to the report of the Director of Children’s Services

Cabinet considered the restricted appendix to the report of the Director of Children’s Services which provided details about the need for Secondary School Places 2021 and 2022.

Alternatives considered:

The council must meet its statutory duty to offer all borough pupils a place in Secondary schools and the report details the preferred option of the early opening of the Edgar Wood Academy and the backup plan for additional capacity.

Resolved:

1.    That the funding allocations for schemes as detailed in the appendix to the report be noted.

Reasons for the Decision:

The council has a statutory duty to offer every pupil living in the borough, who applies, a Secondary school place. Where the council offers a school place that is over the statutory “safe walking distance” for the age of that child the council is required to provide free school transport. Because bus transport in the area is provided through Transport for Greater Manchester, any child offered a school place, which is over the statutory distance criteria, is offered a free bus pass that is provided from council funds. The council receives no central government funding for school bus transport.

The council does receive Basic Need funding to provide additional school places for both permanent and temporary school building expansions and bulge classes. The allocation of Basic Need funding from central government is reported annually to the council Cabinet and the report this year was approved on 31st March 2020.

A shortage of Secondary school places is forecast for 2021 and 2022 intakes, and for school intakes in every following year until the time that the two new mainstream school are delivered.

Private appendix to the report of the Director of Children’s Services

The Committee scrutinised the restricted appendix to the report of the Director of Children’s Services which provided details about the need for Secondary School Places 2021 and 2022.

Resolved:

That the funding allocations for schemes as detailed in the appendix to the report be noted.