Apologies for absence from the meeting were received from K Jackson (Southend Association of Voluntary Services), O Richards (Healthwatch Southend) and T Watts (Southend Carers Forum) (Co-opted Members).

The following councillors declared interests as indicated:

(a)        Councillor A Jones (Cabinet Member) - Interest in the referred item; attended pursuant to the dispensation agreed at Council on 19 July 2012, under S.33 of the Localism Act 2011.

(b)        Councillor M Flewitt - Minute 607 (Outcomes of the informal consultation Stage One of a potential amalgamation of Chalkwell Hall Infants School and Chalkwell Hall Junior School) - Has been directly lobbied with regard to the report to be considered by the Committee - Non-pecuniary interest.

(c)        Councillor H Boyd - Minute 607 (Outcomes of the informal consultation Stage One of a potential amalgamation of Chalkwell Hall Infants School and Chalkwell Hall Junior School) - Is known to one of the individuals that have submitted a public question for the meeting and has connections with a former governor of Chalkwell Hall Infants School - Non-pecuniary interests.

As this is a special meeting of the Committee, questions must relate to business included in the agenda for the meeting, in accordance with Standing Order 6B.

The Committee noted the response of the Cabinet Member for Children and Learning to questions submitted by a number of individuals, which had been sent to the questioners and published on the Council’s website, as they were not present at the meeting.

Cabinet Agenda Item No. 4 refers

Referred direct to the Scrutiny Committee

The Committee considered Minute 601 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 2 December 2020, which had been referred directly to the People Scrutiny Committee, together with a report of the Executive Director (Children and Public Health) providing feedback on the outcomes of the Stage One informal consultation exercise regarding the potential amalgamation of Chalkwell Hall Infant and Junior Schools.

Resolved:

That the following decisions of the Cabinet be noted:

“1. That the further stages of consultation on a potential amalgamation not be proceeded with and the two maintained schools, Chalkwell Hall Infant School and Chalkwell Hall Junior School, be allowed to remain as separate entities.

2. That it be noted that as and when circumstances change in the future, the Cabinet reserves the right to reconsider the benefits of a potential amalgamation at that time.”

Note: This is an Executive Function

Cabinet Member: Councillor A Jones