Agenda item

8.40pm – Councillor Peter Graham moved, seconded by Councillor Harry Phibbs, the special motion standing in their names:      

“This Council:

1.                  Welcomes the unprecedented opening of three new schools in the borough in September 2011.

2.                  Congratulates all those involved with the establishment of the three schools, including:

·           Gary Kynaston, The Mercers’ Company, the Information Technologists’ Company and the governors, staff and parents of the Hammersmith Academy;

·           Toby Young, Thomas Packer and the governors, staff and parents of West London Free School, and;

·           Damian McBeath, ARK Schools and the governors, staff and parents of ARK Conway Primary School.

3.                  Believes that:

·           Parents should have a genuine choice of good schools for their children;

·           A traditional, academic education should be available to all children in the Borough, regardless of financial status;

·           Choice improves standards and increases opportunities, and;

·           Free schools and academies are of enormous benefit to the borough and should be allowed to flourish.

4.                  Resolves to:

·           Support and protect the free schools and academies in the borough and to respect their independence from the local authority:

·           Oppose politically motivated attempts to force the closure of our free schools or academies;

·           Work with our existing schools to continue the strong improvements in their performance;

·           Encourage suitable proposals for further free schools in the borough, and;

·           Support any of our existing schools that wish to convert to academy status.”

Speeches on the special motion were made by Councillors Peter Graham and Harry Phibbs (for the Administration) and Councillor Colin Aherne (for the Opposition).

Under Standing Order 15(e) (vi), Councillor Stephen Cowan moved, seconded by Councillor Caroline Needham, an amendment to the motion as follows:

“Delete all after "This Council" in the first line, and insert:

"believes that:

·        All parents should have a genuine choice of good schools for their
children.

·        That an excellent academic and/or vocational education should be available to all children in the Borough regardless of their household's financial status.

·        That the smaller class sizes, better schools buildings and improved education facilities delivered by the Labour government between 1997 to 2010 made a critical and positive contribution to the improving education standards.  These initiatives should therefore be continued.

·        That the advancement in teaching capability and improved standards in the teaching profession has helped provide this current generation of children with better chances of educational success than ever before.

·        The last Labour Administration, the current Conservative Administration and the Labour government made a positive contribution to the Borough's education offer by opening the Hammersmith Academy.

·        That new academies and free schools that open in the Borough should have the support of local parents.

·        That new academies and free schools that open in the Borough should have catchment areas and admissions policies that are free from bias against any groups of residents.

The Council resolves to:

·        Support and protect all schools in the Borough

·        Take all reasonable measures to ensure that any school in receipt of tax payers' money has the highest standards of teaching and
successful educational outcomes

·        Take all possible measures to give the maximum number of children from across the Borough the best chance of a place in all the Borough's tax payer funded schools

·        All schools in the borough should have equal access to funding opportunities in order to improve standards and performance. That successful and popular community schools should be encouraged and funded to expand their provision to meet local demand for additional school places."

Speeches on the amendment were made by Councillors Stephen Cowan and Caroline Needham (for the Opposition) and Councillor Harry Phibbs (for the Administration) before it was put to the vote and the Opposition Councillors asked that their votes be recorded:

FOR                            8 (Councillors Aherne, Brown, Chumnery,

Coleman, Cowan, Murphy, Needham and Umeh)

AGAINST                   27

ABSTENTIONS         0

The motion was declared LOST.

Speeches on the substantive motion were then made by Councillors Stephen Cowan and Caroline Needham (for the Opposition) and Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh (for the Administration).

Councillor Peter Graham (for the Administration) made a speech winding up the debate before the substantive motion was put to the vote:

FOR                            27

AGAINST                   0

ABSTENTIONS         8

The motion was declared CARRIED.

9.22 pm – RESOLVED:

That this Council:

1.         Welcomes the unprecedented opening of three new schools in the borough in September 2011.

2.         Congratulates all those involved with the establishment of the three schools, including:

·           Gary Kynaston, The Mercers’ Company, the Information Technologists’ Company and the governors, staff and parents of the Hammersmith Academy;

·           Toby Young, Thomas Packer and the governors, staff and parents of West London Free School, and;

·           Damian McBeath, ARK Schools and the governors, staff and parents of ARK Conway Primary School.

3.         Believes that:

·           Parents should have a genuine choice of good schools for their children;

·           A traditional, academic education should be available to all children in the Borough, regardless of financial status;

·           Choice improves standards and increases opportunities, and;

·           Free schools and academies are of enormous benefit to the borough and should be allowed to flourish.

4.         Resolves to:

·           Support and protect the free schools and academies in the borough and to respect their independence from the local authority:

·           Oppose politically motivated attempts to force the closure of our free schools or academies;

·           Work with our existing schools to continue the strong improvements in their performance;

·           Encourage suitable proposals for further free schools in the borough, and;

·           Support any of our existing schools that wish to convert to academy status.