Agenda item

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)      note the recommended option within the OBC and instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to carry out a statutory public consultation on the proposal to establish a new campus on the Hazlehead Academy playing fields and on proposed changes to the existing Countesswells and Hazlehead secondary school catchment areas, to create a new catchment area which would be served by the proposed new school provision; and

(b)      instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to report back to the Committee on the outcomes of the consultation at its next available meeting following the conclusion of the consultation process, in July 2024.

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

That the Committee:-

(a)      note that Hazlehead Academy was one of two schools in the city whose condition was currently rated lowest as "C", poor; and that the suitability of Hazlehead Academy was rated as "D" bad;

(b)      welcome the award of LEIP3 funding for the Hazlehead Academy rebuild project; and

(c)      approve the recommendations in the report.

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

That the Education and Children’s Services Committee:-

(a)           note the recommended option within the OBC and instruct 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)           instruct 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)           instruct 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 30 October 2023;

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

(e)           instruct 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)             agree that Council must not make the same mistake as the SNP made with the 3Rs 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:- 

(a)           approve 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;

(b)           instruct the Chief Officer – Capital to refer the proposals for the projects to the budget process in 2024/25;

(c)           note 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 up the Council to legal challenge as well as having to pay back  developer’s contributions; and

(d)           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. 

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (12) – the Convener; the Vice Convener; Councillors Al-Samarai, Bouse, Hazel Cameron, MacGregor, McLellan, Radley and Mrs Stewart; and Mrs Cardno, Mr Crawford and Mrs Smith; for the amendment (4) – Councillors Blake, Brooks, Grant and McLeod; declined to vote (1) – Mr Murray; absent from the division (1) – Miss Scott.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note that the Interim Director of Children’s and Family Services would liaise with the Chief Officer – Data and Insights to clarify when the updated school roll data would be available, and would share that information with Members outwith the meeting; and

(ii)       to adopt the motion.