Climate change impact
assessment
The purpose of this assessment is to help us understand the likely impacts of our decisions on the environment of North Yorkshire and on our aspiration to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2030, or as close to that date as possible. The intention is to mitigate negative effects and identify projects which will have positive effects.
This document should be completed in consultation with the supporting guidance. The final document will be published as part of the decision making process and should be written in Plain English.
If you have any additional queries which are not covered by the guidance please email climatechange@northyorks.gov.uk
Version 2: amended 11 August 2021
 |
|
Title of proposal |
School Organisation |
|
Brief description of proposal |
Proposal to Amalgamate Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School resulting in the technical closure of Eskdale School and the Eskdale site. |
|
Directorate |
Children and Young Peoples’ Service |
|
Service area |
Strategic Planning |
|
Lead officer |
Andrew Dixon, Strategic Planning Manager |
|
Names and roles of other people involved in carrying out the impact assessment |
Matt George, Strategic Planning Officer and John Lee, Strategic Planning Officer |
|
Date impact assessment started |
24/01/2022 |
|
Options appraisal Were any other options considered in trying to achieve the aim of this project? If so, please give brief details and explain why alternative options were not progressed.
In December 2022, the Governing Board of the Whitby Secondary Partnership resolved to ask the Council to commence a consultation process on their proposal to amalgamate the two schools resulting in the closure of Eskdale School. On 7 February 2023, the Executive Member for Education, Learning and Skills gave approval for consultation on the proposal.
A variety of alternative options to the proposal which has been consulted upon have been considered. The table in 4.1 of the Executive report to which this document is appended, sets out what these options were. Alone, Options B to D in the table would not address the projected budget deficits across both schools, indeed many of them would have no impact on the budget at Eskdale School. School governors believe that any strategy to address the low pupil numbers and financial challenges without moving to become one school across two sites would hamper educational and curriculum improvement. Continuing to spend disproportionate amounts of their budget on premises costs across three sites would divert valuable budget away from the delivery of high-quality education.
|
|
What impact will this proposal have on council budgets? Will it be cost neutral, have increased cost or reduce costs?
School revenue funding Any annual savings to the Dedicated Schools Grant arising from the closure, if approved, would remain within the ring-fenced Dedicated Schools Grant as part of the funding for all schools. Any surplus revenue or capital balances in the event of a school closure would be allocated in line with the Closing School Accounting Policy.
Where in the funding period, a school has been established or is subject to a prescribed alteration as a result of the closure of a school, a local authority may add an amount to the budget share of the new or enlarged school to reflect all or part of the unspent budget share, including any surplus carried over from previous funding periods, of the closing school for the funding period in which it closes.
Transport costs Due to the proximity of the two schools, there are unlikely to be significant variance in the transport costs compared to current expenditure. Eligibility for Home to School Transport would be assessed against the current legislation.
Use of budget on school improvement Governors have stated that any strategy to address the low pupil numbers and financial challenges without moving to become one school across two sites would hamper educational and curriculum improvement. Continuing to spend disproportionate amounts of their budget on premises costs across three sites would divert valuable budget away from the delivery of high-quality education.
Furthermore, governors are concerned that delaying making this proposal would make it necessary to take on other measures to meet financial challenges and Governors could not justify short term cost saving measures which they believe would impact high quality education when they believe that there was a long-term sustainable model available. |
|
How will this proposal impact on the environment?
|
Positive impact (Place a X in the box below where relevant) |
No impact (Place a X in the box below where relevant) |
Negative impact (Place a X in the box below where relevant) |
Explain why will it have this effect and over what timescale?
Where possible/relevant please include: · Changes over and above business as usual · Evidence or measurement of effect · Figures for CO2e · Links to relevant documents |
Explain how you plan to mitigate any negative impacts.
|
Explain how you plan to improve any positive outcomes as far as possible. |
|
|
Minimise greenhouse gas emissions e.g. reducing emissions from travel, increasing energy efficiencies etc.
|
Emissions from travel |
|
|
X |
The issue of school transport is difficult to analyse as parental preference and parental behaviour plays a large role in the level of emissions from travel. For example, even schools with a very small catchment area would have a high carbon footprint if the majority of parents chose to drive their children to school either at their catchment school or by preference to another school further afield. Many schools operate travel plans which encourage low carbon transport options such as walking and cycling.
All pupils living within Whitby Town would be within the statutory 3 mile walking distance and for the newly amalgamated secondary school on the Scoresby and Normanby sites. This is the same as the status quo where pupils living within Whitby Town would all be within the statutory walking distance for either Eskdale School or Caedmon College Whitby.
However, it is acknowledged that some families from the area close to Eskdale School may use vehicles to travel to school if the schools are amalgamated onto the Normanby and Scoresby sites.
For pupils living beyond 3 miles across the rest of the catchment area home to school transport would be provided where appropriate in line with legislation. In practice there will be a small number of pupils living to the North and West of Whitby but currently attending Eskdale who are currently eligible for 11-16 home to school transport but would not be if they live within 3 miles of the Normanby site. |
Where possible Integrated Passenger transport will choose vehicles and routes to minimise traffic. The amalgamated school will be encouraged and supported to develop a sustainable travel plan.
|
Schools will continue to encourage sustainable methods of transport where they are safe and possible. For example, by encouraging lift sharing, walking to school as part of developing their travel plans. |
|
Emissions from construction |
|
X |
|
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
Emissions from running of buildings |
X |
|
|
If the proposals are implemented the Council would cease to maintain the Eskdale School and the pupils would be accommodated at the existing Caedmon College Whitby sites. This would lead to a small increase in energy usage at the Caedmon sites but a net decrease in energy uses from the status quo. |
|
|
|
|
Emissions from data storage |
X |
|
|
The data storage for Eskdale School as a separate institution would not be required going forward. |
|
|
|
|
Other |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Minimise waste: Reduce, reuse, recycle and compost e.g. reducing use of single use plastic |
X |
|
|
There will be a general reduction in the use of resources of all kinds due to the current Eskdale School pupils being accommodated in the amalgamated school and Eskdale School’s consumption of resources ceasing. |
|
|
|
|
Reduce water consumption |
X |
|
|
The water consumption required to operate Eskdale School as an establishment would no longer be required and is therefore removed from the NYC carbon footprint. |
|
|
|
|
Minimise pollution (including air, land, water, light and noise)
|
X |
|
|
The pollution created by the Eskdale School heating system would be removed from the NYC carbon footprint. |
|
|
|
|
Ensure resilience to the effects of climate change e.g. reducing flood risk, mitigating effects of drier, hotter summers |
|
X |
|
N/A |
|
|
|
|
Enhance conservation and wildlife
|
|
X |
|
N/A |
|
|
|
|
Safeguard the distinctive characteristics, features and special qualities of North Yorkshire’s landscape
|
|
X |
|
N/A |
|
|
|
|
Other (please state below)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Are there any recognised good practice environmental standards in relation to this proposal? If so, please detail how this proposal meets those standards. |
|
N/A
|
|
Summary Summarise the findings of your impact assessment, including impacts, the recommendation in relation to addressing impacts, including any legal advice, and next steps. This summary should be used as part of the report to the decision maker:
This proposal has positive and negative environmental impacts. The positive impacts will be a reduction in energy usage associated with a whole establishment and site ceasing to be used as the school. This would include reductions in heating, lighting and water usage. However, there is likely to be a negative impact associated with some increased use of vehicles to transport the pupils to and from school. Ultimately there is an overriding consideration in this proposal to provide the best outcome for the education of children in the local area and no other educationally sustainable option has been identified.
The school site itself is owned by North Yorkshire Council and any decision about future use of the site would need to take regard of the NYC Climate Change policy.
|
|
Sign off section
This climate change impact assessment was completed by: Matt George
Authorised by relevant Assistant Director (signature): Amanda Newbold
Date: 1/03/2023
|