The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Schools and Families which indicated that the Government had initiated a series of area based reviews of post 16 education and training institutions and Sefton was included in the review of the Liverpool City Region. The proposal for Sefton was that the four further education institutions of Hugh Baird College, KGV College, Southport College and South Sefton College merge to form a single Sefton College that would be stronger, more sustainable and provide an offer that meets the educational needs of young people in Sefton and the economic needs of the area. This was in keeping with the Sefton 2030 vision.
The four colleges had proposed merging in two tranches: KGV College and Southport College merging and Hugh Baird College and South Sefton College merging by September 2017, with these north/south colleges then merging to form the Sefton College in September 2018.
The report set out the details of the proposed merger of South Sefton College and Hugh Baird College including the consultation procedure and financial implications and indicated that consultation on the merger of KGV College and Southport College had already started.
The Chair expressed his concern at the negative and inaccurate reporting of the proposals set out in the report by the Champion Newspaper.
Decision Made: That
(1) the report be noted:
(2) approval be given to the commencement of the statutory consultation process relating to the proposal to merge South Sefton College with Hugh Baird College;
(3) officers be granted delegate responsibility to start negotiations with Hugh Baird College as to the level of transitional financial support required in August 2017, to support this new venture in the first year of operation; and
(4) it be noted that a further report about the outcome of negotiations with Hugh Baird as to the level of transitional financial support required; and a report on the outcome of the consultation process ending on 5 April 2017 would be submitted to the Cabinet.
Reasons for Decision:
The Local Authority had the statutory power to discontinue a maintained school following the statutory process detailed in the report and this process had to be followed to enable the merger to take place.
Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:
None.