Agenda item

An exempt appendix is contained within the Exempt Appendices Section of this agenda below.

With reference to article 6 of the minute of meeting of the Council of 1 March 2023, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which presented an Outline Business Case (OBC), setting out the findings of a recent feasibility study, to identify options for delivering new secondary school provision within the Hazlehead and Countesswells Associated Schools Groups (ASGs).

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      approve in principle the recommended option within the OBC to construct a new 1600 pupil campus on the current Hazlehead Academy playing fields to provide secondary school provision for Hazlehead and Countesswells ASGs, subject to the outcome of a statutory consultation;

(b)      instruct the Chief Officer – Capital to refer the proposals for the project to the Budget process in 2024/25; and

(c)      subject to the outcomes of the statutory consultation and any decision taken at the budget meeting of March 2024 approves in principle the use of resources for the implementation of the project from 2024.

The Convener, seconded by the Vice Convener, moved:-

that the Committee approve the recommendations contained within the report.

Councillor Malik, seconded by Councillor Watson, moved as an amendment:-

that the Committee –

(1)    note the decision of the Education and Children Services Committee on 21 November 2023;

(2)    acknowledge that the Aberdeen Labour proposed amendment to Education and Children Services Committee as outlined below would have supported the Community of Hazlehead and Countesswells best:-

(a)    notes the recommended option within the OBC and Instructs the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to carry out the statutory public consultation on the proposal to establish a new campus on the Hazlehead Academy playing field.

(b)    instructs the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to carry out a separate statutory public consultation to specifically address the option of Kingswells primary remaining zoned for the Bucksburn Academy ASG

(c)    instructs the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to provide members of the Education and Children’s Services Committee with written confirmation of the terms and scope of the LEIP funding allocation which was confirmed on October 30th, 2023. 

(d)    notes that committee should maintain its commitment to the decision of Council on 8th October 2014 regarding primary education provision (one two stream and one three stream school) and provide a new secondary school at Countesswells. 

(e)    instructs the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to report back to the Committee on the outcomes of the consultation on the Hazlehead Academy proposal at its next available meeting following the conclusion of the consultation process, in July 2024, and to bring forward a report on the provision of a new Secondary School for Countesswells.

(f)     agrees that Council must not make the same mistake as the SNP made with the 3R’s Bucksburn Secondary School which was built without taking into consideration the increased capacity required for the area, therefore there is a need for a separate Secondary school for Countesswells. 

        That the Finance and Resources Committee:- 

(g)    approves in principle the recommended option within the OBC to construct a new campus to provide secondary school provision for Hazlehead subject to the outcome of a statutory consultation and instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to provide an OBC for a new Secondary School at Countesswells 

(h)    instructs the Chief Officer – Capital to refer the proposals for the projects to the Budget process in 2024/25.

(i)     notes 4.2 of the report that states, “The S75 agreement currently does not allow for the Council to use the ‘Secondary School Contribution’ and agree that failure to build a new school at Countesswells may open the Council to legal challenge as well as having to pay back developer’s contributions.

(j)     subject to the outcomes of the statutory consultation and any decision taken at the budget meeting of March 2024 approves in principle the use of resources for the implementation of the project from 2024; and 

(3)    thereby approves, (g) to (j) noted above. 

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (8) – the Convener, the Vice Convener and Councillors Allard, Bouse, Cooke, Copland, Fairfull and Hutchison; for the amendment (3) – Councillors Malik, Thomson and Watson; declined to vote (2) – Councillors Farquhar and Houghton.

The Committee resolved:-

to adopt the motion.

In terms of Standing Order 34.1, Councillor Malik intimated that he would like this matter to be referred to full Council in order for a final decision to be taken. Councillor Malik was supported by Councillors Farquhar, Houghton, Thomson and Watson.