Children's Services Management Team sponsor:

Pam Robinson - Deputy Director of Children's Services: telephone 01962 847991; e-mail: [email protected]

Contact: Eric Smith - Education Officer SEN: telephone 01962 846245; e-mail: [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

1. That the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services amends her decisions taken on 15 February 2007 in item 2, "Review of education provision for deaf and hearing impaired children", and agrees that:

· In decisions 2 and 4 "August 2008" be changed to "August 2009"; and

· In decision 3 "September 2008" be changed to "September 2009".

2 Reason

2.1 At her decision meeting on 15 February 2007, the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services received a report on the outcomes of further consultations which had taken place on a proposal to consolidate resourced provision into three school pyramids; in the north, south and west of the County, in accordance with criteria agreed by the Executive Lead Member on 12 October 2006. Having considered the report and the representations made about it, the Executive Lead Member decided that statutory consultations should take place with the governing bodies, staff, parents and other interested parties on detailed proposals for the closure of resourced provision for deaf and HI children at Park View Infant, Park View Junior, Medstead Primary and Woodcot Primary schools, and at Aldworth Science College and The Westgate School with effect from August 2008; and that the headteachers and governing bodies of primary schools linked to Henry Beaufort School be invited to consider developing resourced provision, to open in September 2008 (or as soon after as possible), and statutory consultations take place, as appropriate, with the governing bodies, staff, parents and other interested parties on detailed proposals for the establishment of resourced provision for deaf and HI children.

2.2 The decisions of the Executive Lead Member were called in for scrutiny by the Policy Review Committee for Children's Services on 6 March 2006. The Policy Review Committee concluded that it did not agree with the Executive Lead Member's decisions and resolved to undertake some scrutiny work to look into areas which were considered to require further clarification. The findings of the scrutiny work would be communicated to the Executive Lead Member prior to her decision day on 13 July 2007. It was noted that the call-in did not prevent the Executive Lead Member's decisions being acted upon. However, the process for undertaking statutory consultations in line with the Executive Lead Member's decisions taken on 15 February was not started pending further consideration of the resolution of the Policy Review Committee on 6 March.

2.3 The County Council has established a Code of Practice for the relationship between the County Council and the voluntary and community sector, within the One Compact for Hampshire. The Code sets out guidance on consultations; it includes the principle that reasonable time-scales should be allowed for responses. Consultations should, ideally, plan for a recommended minimum of 12 weeks for written consultations. It is not now possible to effectively complete the statutory consultations decided by the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services on 15 February within the time-scale set out in the County Council's Code of Practice and to report back on the outcome of these consultations in July 2007.

2.4 A decision by the County Council, on completion of statutory consultations, to open or close resourced provision in mainstream schools is followed by the publication of Public Notices for six weeks. Arrangements for dealing with objections are still being drawn up in accordance with changes introduced in the Education & Inspections Act 2006. It is expected that objections submitted during the Public Notice period will be considered by the County Council (in respect of community schools) and by the Adjudicator (in respect of voluntary and foundation schools).

2.5 A consequence of the extended time-scale required to complete the consultation and decision making process is that it would be difficult to successfully implement decisions to close and open resourced provision in September 2008.

2.6 This decision does not affect the impact of the proposals set out in the report to Executive Lead Member on 15 February in respect of the County Council's priorities or achievement of the five outcomes for children specified in the Children Act 2004.

2.7 This decision will support compliance with the County Council's Code of Practice on consultations with the voluntary and community sector.

3 Other Options considered and rejected:

3.1 None

4 Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision maker or other Executive Member consulted

4.1 None

5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee -

5.1 None

6 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent -

6.1 Not applicable

Approved by: Date:

........................................

Councillor Felicity Hindson MBE

Executive Lead Member for Children's Services