Issue - meetings

(i)       to note the preferred option for ensuring appropriate future provision of

secondary education at Dyce and Bucksburn, as detailed within the Outline Business Case at Appendix A of the report; and

(ii)       to instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord in consultation with the Chief Officer – Education and Lifelong Learning to consult with officers at Aberdeenshire Council on proposals for adjusting the Dyce Academy catchment area to align with the City boundary, therefore removing all areas of Aberdeenshire including Newmachar and Kingseat from the catchment area, and to report back to this Committee on the outcomes of these discussions and recommendations for next steps, within the next two committee cycles.

The Committee had before it a report by the Executive Director – Families and Communities which presented a completed Outline Business Case detailing options for ensuring appropriate long term secondary education provision to serve the communities of Dyce and Bucksburn and sought approval for discussions to be undertaken with Aberdeenshire Council on catchment area adjustments for Dyce Academy.  The Outline Business Case was included in the papers to Committee in the exempt section of the agenda.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      note the preferred option for ensuring appropriate future provision of secondary education at Dyce and Bucksburn, as detailed within the Outline Business Case at Appendix A of the report; and

(b)      instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord in consultation with the Chief Officer – Education and Lifelong Learning to consult with officers at Aberdeenshire Council on proposals for adjusting the Dyce Academy catchment area to align with the City boundary, therefore removing all areas of Aberdeenshire including Newmachar and Kingseat from the catchment area, and to report back to this Committee on the outcomes of these discussions and recommendations for next steps, within the next two committee cycles.

During questioning of officers, the Committee agreed to move briefly into private session to enable Members to ask questions on the exempt appendix (item 11.1 of the agenda)

The Convener, seconded by the Vice Convener, moved the recommendations as set out in the report.

Councillor Blake, seconded by Councillor Grant, moved as an amendment:-

That the Committee –

(a)      agree that there was no preferred option at this stage for ensuring appropriate future provision of secondary education at Dyce and Bucksburn, as detailed within the Outline Business Case at Appendix A of this report at this stage; and

(b)      instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord in consultation with the Chief Officer – Education and Lifelong Learning to consult ON A WITHOUT PREJUDICE BASIS with officers at Aberdeenshire Council on the option to adjust the Dyce Academy catchment area to align with the City boundary, therefore removing all areas of Aberdeenshire including Newmachar and Kingseat from the catchment area, and to report back to this Committee on the outcomes of these discussions for next steps, in two cycles.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (11) – the Convener; the Vice Convener; Councillors Allard, Hazel Cameron, Fairfull, MacGregor, McRae and Radley; and Ms Barclay, Dr Murray and Mrs Smith; for the amendment (3) – Councillors Blake, Grant and Malik; declined to vote (3) – Councillor McLeod and Mr Haywood and Ms Munro; absent from the division (3) – Councillor Farquhar and Mr Murray and Mr Regmi.

The Committee resolved:-

to adopt the motion and thereby approve the report recommendations.