Agenda and minutes

1.1     Councillor Philippa Roe (Leader of the City Council) welcomed those present.  Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Robert Davis.

1.2     The Leader welcomed Tasnim Shawkat, Tri-borough Director of Law to her first meeting.  The Leader and Cabinet recorded its thanks to Peter Large who will be retiring shortly for his significant contribution and wise Counsel over many years, in particular, in the areas of Licensing and Parking.

To receive declarations by Members and Officers of the existence and nature of any personal or prejudicial interests in matters on this agenda.

2.1     Councillors Daniel Astaire and Danny Chalkley declared an interest as Trustees of the Sir Simon Milton Foundation.

2.2     Councillor Nickie Aiken declared an interest as one of her children would be attending a secondary school from September.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 1 June 2015.

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 June 2015 were approved and signed by the Chairman as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

The Chairman varied the order of business so that Item 5: The School Organisation and Investment Strategy was considered as the next item of business.

Report of the Tri-borough Director of Children’s Services.

5.1     Andrew Christie, Tri-borough Director of Children’s Services introduced the report.  The Council he advised had updated its School Organisation and Investment Strategy.  The reason for doing so was to set out the Council’s plans for complying with its statutory duty to provide sufficient school places.

5.2     Councillor Chalkley spoke in favour of the updated strategy and thanked the officers for the considerable amount of work in developing the strategy.  In doing so he corrected paragraph 4.3 of the report which should refer to 9 academies, 1 Voluntary Aided School and 1 Free School.  The Leader also thanked the officers for their work in developing the strategy.

          Resolved:  That approval be given to the School Organisation and Investment Strategy set out in Appendix B of the report.

          Reasons for Decision

          The School Organisation and Investment Strategy sets out the Council’s plans for complying with its statutory duty of providing sufficient school places for every child who needs one.

Report of the Tri-borough Director of Adult Social Care.

6.1      Andrew Christie, Tri-borough Director of Children’s Services introduced the report.  He explained that the proposals were submitted in order to meet the demand over the next few years.

6.2     Councillor Chalkley advised that the scheme were all at an early stage and still required a lot of work and consultation with Ward Councillors, local communities and planning approval.  He added that he expected the proposals for Pimlico Academy to be objected to locally.  The Leader added that making it clear that the proposals were all subject to Ward Member consultation, local consultation and planning approvals would be reflected in the Cabinet’s decision.

6.3     Councillor Summers advised that the proposals for Pimlico appeared to include changes to the Library which would require full and detailed consultation as well as planning permission.

6.4     Councillor Nickie Aiken advised that Pimlico Academy had been the subject of significant development and she would expect significant local objection.  She was against any further expansion of the Pimlico Academy.

          RESOLVED:

(i)              That the need for additional secondary school places as detailed in the School Organisation Strategy 2015 be endorsed, subject to consultation with Ward Members, local consultation and planning approval.

(ii)             That approval, in principle, be given to the Council’s contribution of £17.2m for the proposed expansions.

(iii)            That authority be delegated to the Director of Schools, the Executive Director of Growth, Planning and Housing and the Tri-borough Director of Law in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People to take such measures as necessary to give effect to the proposals set out in the report and including the consultation requirement set out in (i) above.

          Reasons for Decision

          Additional school places are required in Westminster as set out in the        strategy.