The Chief Executive Officer considered the report presented at the informal meeting of Executive Members held on 12 October 2021. Having taken account of the comments made by Executive Members, all relevant information provided at the meeting and the draft Minutes from the meeting, he agreed to:
i. Recommend that the Secretary of State and the Regional Schools Commissioner consider deferring closure of Baldersley St James CofE Primary School for a period of 12 months for further engagement between the community and Hope Sentamu Learning Trust, to see if a credible business case can be created;
ii. A stakeholder consultation (and subsequent process) in conjunction with Elevate MAT, on the catchment proposals to be effective from September 2022, such that:
• The northern part of the Baldersby St James catchment area (Baldersby Civil Parish) including Baldersby village to become part of the catchment area for Carlton Miniott Primary Academy
• The southern part of the Baldersby St James catchment area (Rainton with Newby Civil Parish) including Rainton village to become part of the catchment area for both Dishforth CE Primary School and Topcliffe CE Academy.

Under his delegated decision making powers in the Officers’ Delegation Scheme in the Council’s Constitution, the Chief Executive Officer has power, in cases of emergency, to take any decision which could be taken by the Council, the Executive or a committee.

Following on from the expiry of the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 (“the 2020 Regulations”), which allowed for committee meetings to be held remotely, the County Council resolved at its meeting on 5 May 2021 that, for the present time, in light of the continuing Covid-19 pandemic circumstances, remote live-broadcast committee meetings should continue (as informal meetings of the Committee Members), with any formal decisions required being taken by the Chief Executive Officer under his emergency decision making powers and after consultation with other Officers and Members as appropriate and after taking into account any views of the relevant Committee Members and all relevant information. This approach was reviewed in July and will be further reviewed in November 2021.

The Chief Executive Officer took all relevant information into account in exercising his emergency delegated powers in this matter, including considering the views of the Executive Members and the draft Minutes from the meeting, and made the decision set out above for the reasons set out in the body of the report – see report attached.

N/A.