Agenda item

With reference to article 3 of the minute of its previous meeting, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which set out the intended scope, aims and principles of the planned 2019 School Estate Strategy document; and also sought approval of proposed updated primary school capacity figures.

The report recommended:-

that Committee –

(a)      notes the planned scope, aims and principles and findings so far from the development of the 2019 School Estate Strategy, which would be presented to Committee for approval in September 2019; and

(b)      approves the adoption of revised pupil capacity figures for primary schools in Aberdeen, as detailed at Appendix 1 to the report, with the revised figures to be used in the next and all future editions of Aberdeen City Council’s school roll forecasts, in order to inform the further development of the School Estate Strategy.

The Convener, seconded by Councillor Greig, moved:-

That Committee –

(a)      approves recommendation 2.1 as set out in the report; and

(b)      notes the revised pupil capacity figures that replaced those previously approved by Committee.

Councillor Al-Samarai, seconded by Councillor McLellan, moved as an amendment:-

That Committee –

(a)      regrets the decision taken at the Council Meeting of 5 March 2019 to remove the cap on Primary 1 class sizes;

(b)      notes the planned scope, aims, principles and findings so far from the development of the 2019 School Estate Strategy;

(c)       prior to approving the revised pupil capacity in Primary Schools, instructs the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to report back to the Committee within the next Committee Cycle on:-

a.            the current class room and general-purpose capacity respectively in each of the Schools together with the planning capacity and anticipated working capacity;

b.            the anticipated school rolls for the next 5 years for the Primary School Estate;

c.            the schools which presently have additional temporary accommodation in place to deliver educational provision, including a list of schools which may require additional temporary accommodation and of schools which may need temporary accommodation as result of school roll forecast, together with any proposed alternative to such a provision; and

d.            the impact of any delay in building new educational provision on existing school roll forecasts, noting that no reference has been made to educational provision as part of the zoning provisions at Countesswells or Grandholme or the new school provisions for Tillydrone, Torry and Milltimber and the proposed relocation of St Peters RC School. 

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (10) – the Convener; the Vice Convener; Councillors Bell, Boulton, Donnelly, Greig, Imrie and Macdonald; and Mrs Stephanie Brock and Mr Anthony Rafferty; for the amendment (7) – Councillors Al-Samarai, Flynn, Henrickson, McLellan and Nicoll; and Mr John Murray and Miss Pamela Scott.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)        to note the planned scope, aims and principles and findings so far from the development of the 2019 School Estate Strategy which will be presented to Committee for approval in September 2019; and

(ii)       to note the revised pupil capacity figures for primary schools as detailed at Appendix 1 of the report which replaced those previously approved by Committee.