Agenda and minutes

Resolved –

That the public Minutes of the meeting held on 21 March 2023, having been printed and circulated, be taken as read and confirmed by the Chairman as a correct record.

As a bank employee, Councillor Michael Harrison declared a non-prejudicial interest in agenda item 7 – Area Constituency Committee Feedback Report, specifically in relation to the issue of reducing banking services in rural areas.

Members of the public may ask questions or make statements at this meeting if they have given notice to Melanie Carr of Democratic and Scrutiny Services and supplied the text (contact details below) by midday on Thursday 13 April 2023, three working days before the day of the meeting.  Each speaker should limit themselves to 3 minutes on any item.  Members of the public who have given notice will be invited to speak:-

·            at this point in the meeting if their questions/statements relate to matters which are not otherwise on the Agenda (subject to an overall time limit of 30 minutes);

·            when the relevant Agenda item is being considered if they wish to speak on a matter which is on the Agenda for this meeting.

If you are exercising your right to speak at this meeting, but do not wish to be recorded, please inform the Leader who will instruct anyone who may be taking a recording to cease while you speak.

Six public questions / statements were received in relation to Agenda item 5 - Proposal to Amalgamate Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School.  It was noted only two of the members of the public were present at the meeting to read out their own submissions, the rest would be read out by an officer of the Council of their behalf.

The Leader welcomed the members of the public to the meeting and confirmed he would hear their submissions as part of the Executive’s consideration of agenda item 5. 

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

i.    The proposals and statutory notices be published on 4 May to lower the school age range of Overdale Community Primary School from 4 September 2023.

ii.   The Executive schedule taking a final decision on the proposals on 20 June 2023.

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director for Children and Young People’s Service seeking approval for the publication of proposals and statutory notices to lower the age range of Overdale Community Primary School, following the completion of a public consultation

Councillor Annabel Wilkinson, Executive Member for Education & Skills presented the report and drew attention to the outcome of a public consultation carried out by the Governors of Overdale Community Primary School, on the proposal to lower the age range of the school from 3-11 to 2-11, in order to offer education for two-year-old children.

Executive Members welcomed the report and noted the consultation feedback and next steps detailed therein.  Members agreed it was a brilliant new school, and all voted in favour of the recommendations in the report.  It was therefore

Resolved – That:

i.       The proposals and statutory notices be published on 4 May to lower the school age range of Overdale Community Primary School from 4 September 2023.

ii.      A final decision on the proposals be taken by the Executive on 20 June 2023

Recommendations – That:

 i.       Statutory proposals and notices be published on 27 April 2023 proposing the amalgamation of Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School resulting in the technical closure of Eskdale School and the Eskdale site from 31 August 2024, and an increase in the planned admission number for the amalgamated school with effect from 1 September 2024.

ii.      The Executive schedule taking a final decision on these proposals on 20 June 2023.

iii.    The recommendation from the Area Constituency Committee be noted - if the decision is made to proceed with these proposals the Executive will be required to consider the recommendation in conjunction with these proposals at the appropriate time if the proposals are published and this returns for a decision to close the school on 20 June 2023.

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director – Children and Young People’s Service detailing the outcome of a public consultation carried out by North Yorkshire County Council, at the request of the federated Governing Board of the Whitby Secondary Partnership, to amalgamate Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School resulting in the technical closure of Eskdale School and the Eskdale site and an increase in the planned admission number for the amalgamated school, from 1 September 2024.

It was noted that six public submissions had been received, as follows:

i. Su Crossland - Co-Chair of Governors for the Whitby Secondary Partnership (attended in person)

‘My name is Su Crossland and I am co-chair of governors for the Whitby Secondary Partnership as well as a parent of a child at Eskdale School.  Having had 2 children who each chose a different secondary school, I can appreciate the desire for choice, however, also having the responsibility to oversee the strategic direction and finances of the 2 schools in the partnership, I fully understand the need for action at this time.

I moved to the area just as the 2016 consultation to close Eskdale was getting underway and I heard a lot of comments from people at the time, but one letter from a former pupil at the school struck a chord with me.  The young lady described her desire for an alternative form of choice; she wanted a greater choice of subjects at GCSE that just wasn’t available in a small school.  And this is what we aim to offer the students of Whitby if we amalgamate Eskdale and Caedmon College to one school.

With reducing intakes at both schools, the options available to the students will also become reduced as class sizes will be too small in some subjects to make them viable.  Which in turn could mean students look elsewhere at schools that provide a wider choice of subjects, further reducing intake. 

For me it is important for my children, and all children, to get the most out of their education and have the opportunity to learn subjects that inspire them and excite them.  And I know that all children are different, with different interests, so the ability to offer a wide and inspirational curriculum is a great opportunity.

And it’s not just about the curriculum.  The potential for extra-curricular opportunities can be expanded with a larger cohort of students.  Clubs that may not have been able to run in either school because of low numbers may now have enough uptake to thrive.  Trips and activities that require minimum numbers may be easier to arrange, providing other opportunities to students that may not otherwise be possible.

So, I agree that our students need to have a choice.  But it doesn’t have to be the choice of which physical site to attend, we want to give them a greater choice of subjects and opportunities.

I know that numbers at the Whitby Sixth Form are currently low, and this is something  ...  view the full minutes text for item 220.

Considered –

A report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal and Democratic Services) seeking approval for a number of changes to the North Yorkshire Health and Wellbeing Board.

Executive Members noted the proposed change to the Mental Health Trusts representative on the Board, as advised by TEWV, and it was

Resolved – That:

Zoe Campbell, Managing Director for North Yorkshire, York and Selby be appointed to the North Yorkshire Health and Wellbeing Board, with Brian Cranna, Director of Operations and Transformation, as her nominated substitute.

Recommendation:  That the Executive notes the report and considers any matters arising from the work of the Area Constituency Committees, that merits further scrutiny, review or investigation at a county-level.

Considered –  A report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal & Democratic Services) providing an overview of the key issues considered at recent meetings of the Area Constituency Committees (ACCs). 

In reference to the updates from Skipton & Ripon ACC and Thirsk & Malton ACC, Councillor George Jabbour drew attention to his concerns around the ever reducing banking and postal services in rural areas.  He provided an overview of the issues being faced in those specific areas and noted that the Post Office seemed unable to come up with a permanent/ long term solution.  He confirmed his view that the Post office had been overpromising and under delivering for some time, to the detriment of vulnerable and elderly residents.

Councillor Derek Bastiman drew attention to a previous related scrutiny review carried out by the Corporate & Partnerships Overview & Scrutiny Committee and directed Cllr Jabbour to the review final report.

Councillor Carl Les, suggested it may be timely for Overview and Scrutiny to revisit the issue and encouraged Councillor Jabbour to pursue that option.

Councillor Paul Haslem referenced bullet point 7 of paragraph 34 of the report and clarified that the £180M Yorkshire Water grant was for improvements on all rivers not just the River Nidd.

Resolved - That the feedback report be noted.

Considered –

The Forward Plan for the period 3 April 2023 to 30 April 2024 was presented.

Resolved -   That the Forward Plan be noted.