The Director of Children’s Services introduced her report which advised that in January 2014 the Cabinet agreed to undertake a consultation on the closure of The Lyndale School.  Following the consultation, which closed in June 2014, the Cabinet agreed at its meeting on 4 September 2014 to publish formal statutory notices advising the public of the proposed closure of the school. 

In accordance with the statutory guidance, the statutory notice (Appendix 1) and statutory proposal (Appendix 2) were published on 22 October 2014.  The process allowed a four week period for representations to be made on the proposals, during which time any person could make comments or objections on the proposals.

The report and appendices set out all the relevant information that should be considered in making a decision on the proposal to close The Lyndale School.  Measures required to mitigate the effect of the proposal, if agreed, were also outlined. 

The Cabinet was informed that the Council was the decision maker in respect of the published proposal.  The proposal could be approved, rejected, approved with modification or approved subject to meeting specific condition(s). 

The closure of the Lyndale School was being considered because the viability of the school had been compromised by its small size and falling roll.  There were also two other primary schools in the Council’s administrative area providing good and outstanding provision for children with complex learning difficulties.

The report recommended that the Cabinet approve the proposal to close The Lyndale School with a modification to the closure date to 31 August 2016. 

Appended to the Director’s report for Cabinet Members’ information was:

·  The Statutory Notice (Appendix 1)

·  The Statutory Proposal (Appendix 2)

·  Statutory Guidance (Appendix 3)

·  A detailed list of the issues raised during the representation period (Appendix 4)

·  Redacted Representations (Appendix 5)

·  The Equalities Impact Assessment (Appendix 6)

The Director of Children’s Services recognised that it had been a difficult and challenging time for all concerned and she informed that she intended to work positively with everyone to accomplish the closure of The Lyndale School, if the Cabinet agreed that this was the way forward.

Following the Director’s presentation Cabinet Members asked a number of questions which were answered by her as appropriate.  Issues raised included the following:

·  Children’s Services will discuss with parents their preferences for other schools and, if The Lyndale School is to close, will also work with parents to complete each pupil’s Education Health and Care Plan.  Whatever was identified in individual Education Health and Care Plans would be replicated in either of the two other schools (Elleray Park and Stanley).  Therefore, if the Cabinet’s decision was to close The Lyndale School, there would not be a detrimental impact.

·  For the 2014-15 financial year The Lyndale School had set a balanced budget of £743,345 based on funding for 40 places, when it had 23 pupils on roll at the January 2014 Census. Any single place reduction would represent a loss of £10,000 to the base budget for the school. Therefore any future reduction in place funding to 23 pupils (the number of pupils on roll), would result in the school receiving a budget which was £170,000 less than at present.

·  The recommendation included a modification so that The Lyndale School closed on 31 August 2016.  This would provide time for any staff training that was considered necessary and appropriate. There was an absolute commitment to respond to the children. Each child had separate needs and the Council would be meticulous in ensuring the right physical environment and that staff were equipped with the right skills to look after the children. Some children were very vulnerable and had profound difficulties.  The Director of Children’s Services had spoken to the staff and she was confident that they would make sure settings and groupings of children were right. 

·  The two Headteachers had put in writing their commitment to ensuring that they would accommodate and cater for the children in their schools appropriately.  The two schools would provide continuity and the moves to the schools would be carefully managed.

·  A question was asked about the carers that would accompany the children to their new schools.  The Director of Children’s Services informed that staff would continue and agreed to confirm arrangements after the meeting.

·  The Director of Children’s Services and her staff would give a lot of care and attention to the receiving schools.  They would make sure that there was a focus on the children there and that all their needs were met.  It was possible that a whole cohort of Lyndale School children would be going to one school.  This would be managed with a great deal of planning.

·  Discussions would be held with the schools about moving/recreating Lyndale School’s Sensory Garden setting.  The Wirral Globe had provided funding of £80,000 that could assist this.

When Cabinet Members had finished asking their questions Councillor Phil Davies gave representatives of The Lyndale School who were in attendance at the School an opportunity to address the Cabinet.  Unfortunately, this opportunity was not taken up as the School’s representatives informed that they considered it to be ‘a waste of time’. 

Councillor Tony Smith informed the Cabinet that he was asking it to make its decision based on advice from the Director of Children’s Services.  He also informed that a decision to close a school was always difficult.  The main reason to consider closure of The Lyndale School was its viability because of its size and falling roll.  There were two other schools on Wirral providing good education for children with profound and complex learning difficulties.

Councillor Smith reported that he was as satisfied, as he could be that the children would be supported in the other two schools and their wellbeing and education provided for, if the Cabinet agreed to close The Lyndale School.

Councillor Smith considered that maximum opportunity had been provided for everyone concerned to be consulted and make representations on the proposal.  There had also been scrutiny carried out by the Policy and Performance Co-ordinating Committee who had met twice to consider call-in decisions in respect of The Lyndale School.  All views, representations, details and issues, including financial ones had been properly and carefully considered.  Councillor Smith was aware that it was a difficult and uncertain time for the children at the School, their families and for staff members.

Councillor Smith proposed, Councillor Ann McLachlan seconded and it was

RESOLVED: (unanimously)

That the Director of Children’s Services recommendations that following careful consideration of all relevant representation, information, details and matters arising in respect of the proposal, as detailed in the report, the Cabinet approves the proposal to close The Lyndale School with a modification to the closure date to 31 August 2016.