Agenda item

·         A report on the proposal was brought prior to consideration at Cabinet.

·         The chief officer had briefed committee several times about the future direction of travel for how learners with additional learning needs would be supported.

·         Officers are recommending publishing notices for the closure of Mounton House School at the end of August 2020.

·         The school has capacity for 58 students and there are currently 15 students attending, 8 of these reside in Monmouthshire of which two belong to other authorities. There is very little need for this type of school in the county.

·         The school cost £1.26M to run this year and the authority will be able to recover £471K. There is a net cost of £131K per pupil rising to £263K from September 2020 if the school were to remain open. This is significantly higher than the charge made to other authorities for placement.  The Chief Officer reported that this recommendation not taken lightly or with any motive other than finding the right provision for the pupils. The building is no longer it for purpose and designation no longer meets the needs of the pupils in Monmouthshire.

Members Challenge

·         Members sought re-assurance on the future of staff and how provision for pupils presently at the school would be made after closure.  Members hears that closure at the end of 2019-20 would allow two additional terms time to plan and identify education opportunities suitable to the needs of every pupil.  Members also heard that following a decision made by Cabinet the council’s Protection of Employment Policy would be used to support and seek opportunities for all staff.

·         A member made reference to an alternative proposals to support the school to widen its provision to meet growing in-county ALN need on a gradual basis as a third option and indicated that the proposals had not taken adequate account of the consultation responses.  Members heard that the report answered the themes that emerged from the in the consultation exercise in a clear way.  They also heard that the school needs a significant amount of money spent on it and a make-do and mend approach would not be suitable.  The school had previously been funded on capacity rather than the number of pupils on-roll which is how other schools are funded.  The Chief Officer stated that is not the environment that would meet the needs of pupils with autistic spectrum disorder alongside the current pupils and committed to developing provision in the county for pupils agreed 7 – 19 who have difficulty in learning because of a range of significant and complex additional needs.

·         Members questioned whether money be spent to build provision in different schools.  The committee heard that wherever possible the needs of pupils with additional or special needs should be met in mainstream provision and Monmouthshire has four resource bases and the council will continue to develop these.  However some pupils with very highly specific and complex needs will need to access placements out-of-county.

·         Members queried whether 21^st century schools funding could be sought to build a new school.  It was confirmed that there is no possibility of additional bids for Band B funding from Welsh Government.

·         The committee voted on whether to recommend to Cabinet that they consider a third option, as put forward by Cllr Brown to change the type of provision offered at Mounton House to meet the growing in-county ALN need, and the vote was carried.

Outcomes

·         Members examined the proposals and asked a series of questions of officers.  The chair will attend Cabinet to put forward the committee’s view that a third option should be considered