Lead Member – Councillor David Minnery – Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People.

Report of the Director of Children’s Services

Contact: Karen Bradshaw  Tel: 01743 254201

RESOLVED:

i)     That the outcomes from the statutory consultation be noted; and

ii)    That it be agreed to proceed to the publication of closure proposals for Hope CE Primary School and St Mary’s CE Primary School Westbury, with a target date of 1 September 2017, consolidating provision on an expanded site at Worthen CE Primary School.

The Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People presented a report from the Director of Children’s Services on the outcomes of the consultation on the proposal to amalgamate Hope CE Primary School, Worthen CE Primary School and St Mary’s CE Primary School, Westbury and the recommendation to proceed to the next stage of the statutory process with the publication of the statutory proposals to close the two school sites at Hope and Westbury.

Comments from one of the local Members were read out to the meeting in her absence.  She was in support of the proposals that had resulted from the lack of affordable housing in the area, the closure of the village shop, possible closure of the Post Office and the number of children on roll no longer being viable.  She concluded that urgent measures needed to be taken to regenerate rural communities in the county.

RESOLVED:

i)     That the outcomes from the statutory consultation be noted; and

ii)    That it be agreed to proceed to the publication of closure proposals for Hope CE Primary School and St Mary’s CE Primary School Westbury, with a target date of 1 September 2017, consolidating provision on an expanded site at Worthen CE Primary School.