To consider the submitted report on the proposed relocation of Torbay School and creation of a new primary school in Paignton and any recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

Further to the decision of the Council at its meeting on 26 February 2015 to relocate Torbay School, the Council received revised proposals for a new site which would better meet the needs of young people attending this special school.  The submitted report updated Members on the results of site investigations into the original approved site at Hillside, Torquay and the alternative proposed site at MyPlace, Paignton.  It was noted that a revised officer recommendation had been circulated in the morning of 25 February 2016.

The Chairman drew Members’ attention to the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Board which were circulated on 23 February 2016 and invited the Overview and Scrutiny Co-Ordinator to outline the Board’s recommendations.

It was then proposed by Councillor Parrott and seconded by Councillor Mills:

(i)         that, subject to the outcome of the formal consultation in (iii) below and in the event of a decision being made to relocate Torbay School to the MyPlace facility in Paignton, the decision in Minute 172(ii) ‘that the Executive Head of Commercial Services be given delegated authority to agree the terms of the lease and/or procurement arrangements for the transfer of the Parkfield site (the new build), BMX and Skateboard Park to the Torbay Youth Trust’ be rescinded;

(ii)        that the Director of Children’s Services be requested to work in partnership with the Youth Trust todevelop an alternative viable business plan, to be in place by July 2016, (within existing budget) for the continuity and development of services for young people across the Bay. That the development work should include a review of Parkfield and other potential sites to ensure that the Youth Trust will have an appropriate administrative base and good access to deliver services in areas that meets the needs of children and young people across the Bay. The new business plan needs to be approved by the Council; 

(iii)       that, following the outcome of the formal consultation, the decision to relocate Torbay School to the MyPlace facility in Paignton and the subsequent transfer of the area of land edged red on the plan attached as Appendix 2 of the submitted report on a 125 year lease be delegated to the Executive Director for Operations and Finance and Director of Children’s Services in consultation with the Executive Lead for Adults and Children, with an instruction being issued as part of the commercial transfer of the site to the academy sponsor, to include access in the evenings, weekends and holiday periods for the benefit of the young people of Torbay for whom the facility was built, and enabling its original purpose (subject to confirmation by the Secretary of State);  and

(iv)       that in the event that a decision is made to transfer Torbay School to the MyPlace facility, the Executive Director for Operations and Finance and Director of Children’s Services in consultation with the Executive Lead for Adults and Children be given delegated authority to develop the current Torbay School site at Torquay Road as a new primary school.

An amendment was proposed by Councillor Thomas (D) and seconded by Councillor Lewis:

that the decision on the relocation of Torbay School and a new primary school in Paignton be deferred to enable:

(a)       an outline financial business plan for the Youth Trust to be prepared and presented to the Council at its extraordinary meeting on 7 April 2016.  The business plan to provide assurance that the proposals are financially viable and that the Youth Trust accept that the plan is sound;

(b)       the report to the Extraordinary Council meeting on 7 April 2016 to also include further details of accessibility to the facilities in the evenings, weekends and holiday periods, without incurring any financial burden and including:

·         how this will be accomplished and which body will be responsible for the access;

·         greater detail of the time periods it will be available;  and

·         the area of the building that will be available for access.

(c)        an explanation who will be responsible for activities at the BMX and skateboard park after the building has been leased to the Torbay School Academy.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was declared lost.

(Note:  In accordance with Standing Order A19.6, Councillor Tyerman requested his abstention from voting on the amendment to be recorded.)

An amendment was proposed by Councillor Carter and seconded by Councillor Darling (S):

that the original motion (i) to (iii) is adopted;  and

(iv)       that in the event that a decision is made to transfer Torbay School to the MyPlace facility, the Executive Director for Operations and Finance and the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Executive Lead for Children and Adults, be requested to bring forward a further report detailing the expansion of primary school places in Paignton to the Council meeting on 7 April 2016.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was declared carried.

The substantive motion (the original motion (i) to (iii) with the revised (iv)) was then before members for consideration.

On being put to the vote, the substantive motion was declared carried.

(Note:  In accordance with Standing Order A19.6, Councillor Tyerman requested his abstention from voting on the substantive motion to be recorded.)

(Note:  During consideration of Minute 149, Councillor Tyerman declared his non-pecuniary interest.)