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RESOLVED:
 

1.   
That Cabinet pursue option 2, establishing a working
group to explore reorganisation for the Reigate Primary Planning
Area.

2.   
That Cabinet agree the timescales and scope for the
working group as outlined in Annex 1.

3.   
That Cabinet agree to delegate authority to the
Director of Land & Property in conjunction with the Executive
Director of Children Families and Lifelong Learning to
commission initial desk-based
viability studies up to £0.6m.

4.   
That Cabinet pursue the determination of the live
planning application (Reference RE22/01796CON) for option 1, to
establish if this is a viable option.
Reasons
for Decisions:
 
As the majority of respondents to the consultation
selected option 2, the recommendations are to continue to look for
alternative solutions and pursue option 2 by establishing a working
group to explore re-organisation options as set out in
recommendation 1.

It has not been
possible to identify any potentially viable sites other than
Woodhatch Place, or to identify a solution for Reigate Priory
Junior School (RPJS) to remain a 600-place junior school on the
current site for the reasons set out in
Annex 2 of this report. The
working group will look at re-organisation options to provide
sufficient school places in the area. Possibilities could include
the Woodhatch site and the existing school sites, including the
potential for a smaller school at Priority Park and other potential
sites. The evaluation criteria are set out at Annex 1,
this includes the need for
any solution under Option 2 to be comparable in cost to Option
1. Cabinet Agreement for the
timescales and scope of the working Group is sought under
recommendation 2. More information about the role, functions and
scope of the working group and timescales is available in Annex
1: Working Group Terms of Reference.
 
Surrey County Council would not ordinarily recommend
a closure of a school that provides quality education and continues
to meet the needs of local pupils, however, school closure or
school closure as part of an amalgamation may be considered by the
working group, if an alternative cannot be found, or if a school no
longer meets the needs of children. 
 
Recommendation 3 ensures relevant delegated authority
to ensure sufficient feasibility is completed for any solution
identified by the working group. There may be feasibility studies
across multiple schools as part of the agreed option. The original
site search for a 5FE (5 Form Entry) Junior school may be refreshed
alongside any additional site search as part of option
2.
 
There is no guarantee of finding viable options and
this process will further delay a secure future for RPJS. To ensure
a continuity of sufficient school places for children and young
people in Reigate, it would be sensible and reasonable that, as set
out in Recommendation 4, Surrey County Council pursues determination of the live
planning application to relocate Reigate Priory Junior School
to Woodhatch Place, (Ref RE22/01796CON), by submitting additional
information to address the issues identified by the Planning and
Regulatory Committee when referring it back to the applicants. This
is in order to fully understand if this option is a viable
solution.
 
Recommendation 4 relates only to proceeding to determination of the planning
permission. This is to keep all possible options open for
consideration at this time and as a back-up if an alternative cannot be identified or if a
more urgent need arises to re-locate RPJS from the current
site. This is
because of the uncertainties in making all the changes which may be
necessary under option 2 and doing so within a reasonable time frame.

A
further decision will be required by Cabinet later in 2024 to
determine
how to proceed, taking into consideration the
recommendations of the working group and the outcome of
the planning application.
 
(The
decisions on this item can be called in by the Children,
Families,
Lifelong
Learning & Culture Select Committee)