Agenda and minutes

The Chair will introduce those present and make any necessary announcements.

The Chair and any other Councillors who are present will make any declarations as required by the Councillors’ Code of Conduct.

Councillor Cassidy welcomed those present.

It was noted that the meeting was to be held in two separate sessions.

One session commenced at 11.30am and a further session commenced at 6.00pm.

Prior to each session, the Chair read the following statement:

“Welcome to this ward community meeting which has been called to enable members of the community hear and make comments on the plans for the school. We have classed it as a special ward community meeting with a formal agenda published a few days ago to ensure that we have a formal record of the comments made which will be published on the Internet in the usual way for Community Meetings.

In order to allow the widest possible participation following our consideration this morning the meeting will be adjourned and the same business considered again at 6pm this afternoon. The action note prepared following the meeting will reflect both sessions. Therefore whilst you are welcome to there is no requirement to attend both sessions.”  

Councillor Alfonso submitted an apology for absence for the second session as she had to attend other Council business.

Residents will be given an update on the current position with regard to the development of the school including a highways update.

Residents will be able to make comment or raise any issues in relation to the development of the new school.

Waterside Primary School

Rob Thomas (Head of Education Sufficiency & Admissions) provided the following information and answered questions from those present:

·         Planning permission had been approved for the new school, and procurement of initial site clearance works had commenced;

·         Discussion had taken place regarding the new school with Fosse and Slater Street schools, head teachers and governing bodies. Following a statutory consultation period of six weeks, a formal decision notice had been published;

·         Design booklets showing detailed site plans, the proposed layout and size of classrooms and outdoor learning and play spaces were circulated for information.

·         One school (Slater Street) would close and have its school legal status removed, the other (Fosse) would expand in size. The new site would see the coming together of the two schools;

·         Parents would see children from both schools relocating with teaching and admin staff into the larger building;

·         The current Fosse primary school would be remodelled to provide early years provision for nursery and first year reception (F2), and 3-4+ years as a statutory provision. In addition there would be early wrap-around care for 0-3s in co-location with the school staff. It was confirmed that the Portakabin would be removed.

·         Both schools’ reception class would have to temporarily go into the new school for a year while developing the Fosse site for early years and nursery, then they would move back for the following September.

·         The community hall at the back of Fosse School would remain accessible;

·         The main new school would house years 1-6;

·         The new school opening was planned for September 2019;  this would allow for suitable modern facilities being provided with adequate spaces, together with growth space for future years;

·         Children currently attending Slater Street and Fosse Primary schools would have a place in the new school. If demand and the waiting list was significant, the with the school’s agreement extra classes could be added. The demographics of the area would be further considered following completion of the housing development.  It was not expected that class sizes would exceed 30 pupils;

·         The modern school would also contain a hall, kitchen, studio hall, and areas which could be used for external hire by community groups;

·         The £14million construction works were timetabled and feasible. Work would go out to tender through the framework contact. In early spring a 60 week construction period would commence, concluding in May 2019, to allow time for the fit out of furniture, ICT, books, etc. There would be a 1-2 day closure of the old school to allow teachers to transition across;

·         A licence for badger removal had been granted by Nature England. After a statutory observation period and the set was being closed;

·         A full environmental assessment had been undertaken. No other species that required special licences had been found, and there was no evidence in the area that bats or newts were present. Officers would take the concerns of residents back to the environmental consultant to confirm results of the survey;

·         The school area design would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.