From Councillor Annabel Wilkinson – previously shared with Members on 15 April 2026

Richmond Area Committee held on 2 March - response to question raised by Councillor Parsons

I refer to the above, and specifically to the question raised by Councillor Parsons regarding the school organisation proposals that have been made by four Federated Governing Bodies within the committee’s area. Specifically, this included a proposal made by the Federated Governing Body of the Reeth and Gunnerside Federation that the Local Authority approves a ‘nearest gate in the federation’ discretion for determination of a child’s nearest school for home to school travel purposes, which is conditional upon the federation continuing to provide inter-school transport, at their own cost, for relevant pupils.

This means that pupils attending either school within the Reeth and Gunnerside Federation will have their eligibility for assistance with home to school travel calculated on the basis of the distance from their home to the nearest entrance point to either school point, and any assistance with travel will be provided to that school.

As you may be aware, the proposals that were under consideration arose from a requirement for the federations in question to remedy their school organisation arrangements to ensure compliance with the school admissions and registration regulations.

Officers from the local authority have been in discussion with each of the Federated Governing Bodies regarding this issue since September 2024. Officers have supported each Federated Governing Body in their consideration of the regulation requirements, the options available to them, and in the development of proposals which both ensured compliance and also best suited each Federated Governing Body’s specific and local circumstances.

In each case the discussions have included a consideration of the implications of home to school travel on any proposed school organisation proposal.

The Federated Governing Body of the Reeth and Gunnerside Federation developed the proposal that is outlined above. In making this proposal, the Board recognised the cost to them and operational implications of continuing to provide inter-school transport in the event that the Council agreed to the proposal. The Council recognised the specific arrangements of moving to an infant school and a junior school within a federated arrangement in order to comply with school admissions and registration regulations.

You will be aware, also, that the proposals have been the subject of public consultation exercises (undertaken September – November 2025), a report to the Executive on 16 December 2025, and a statutory notice period.

Throughout this time, officers continued to engage with the respective Federated Governing Bodies regarding the proposals that are under consideration, and the operational issues required to be addressed in the event that they were approved. During this time, no further proposals regarding the nearest school determinations and home to school travel provisions were received by the Council.

Following the meeting on the 2 March the new co-chairs of the Federated Governing Board of the Federation of Middleham and Spennithorne Primary Schools contacted officers for a further discussion about the proposals for the schools, and specifically about the implications for home to school travel. Arising from that discussion the Board submitted a revised proposal requesting that the Council applies a ‘nearest gate in the federation’ discretion for determination of a child’s nearest school for home to school travel purposes, which is conditional upon the federation continuing to provide inter-school transport, at their own cost, for relevant pupils.

On 24 March, I considered a report on the school organisation proposals in respect of each of the federations, and am pleased to advise that: -

1. The proposals made by the Federated Governing Boards of the BAWB (Bainbridge, Askrigg and West Burton) Federation, Reeth and Gunnerside Schools Federation and

The Synergy Schools Federation were approved in full (including the ‘nearest gate in the federation’ discretion for the Reeth and Gunnerside schools).

2. The original proposals submitted by the Federated Governing Board of Middleham and Spennithorne Primary Schools were approved; and

3. Following legal advice, a consultation exercise is to be undertaken regarding the proposal from the Federated Governing Board of Middleham and Spennithorne Schools for the Council to apply a ‘nearest gate in the federation’ discretion for determination of a child’s nearest school for home to school travel purposes.

The consultation exercise will be completed as soon as possible and a report arising from it will be considered thereafter.

I will provide a further update to the Committee following completion of the consultation exercise and further consideration of the request.