1.     Question from Chris Metcalfe

I note from point 4.9 of paper E548 "The Future ofKeynsham Primary School and Temple Primary School, Keynsham" to bediscussed as item 11 on the agenda for the Council Executive meeting on the 7thApril 2004, that over 250 responses had been received during the consultationperiod. No further figures, exact or approximate, feature in this paper.

Can Executive members be provided with the exact number ofresponses, the exact number of responses in favour of the three allowed options(closure of Temple School, closure of Keynsham School, closure of both andcreation of a new school on a site to be decided), and the exact numbersexpressing a preference for the different possible sites for a new school(Keynsham Primary, St John's Court, etc). I have no reason to doubt the writtensummaries, but the absence of any figures in this paper is still a puzzle tome.

Answer to be given by ExecutiveCouncillor Jonathan Gay

I am happy to answer this question although I shouldemphasise that the numbers favouring one option or another are not adetermining factor. The consultation process was not intended to be areferendum on the future of these schools. It is for the Executive to decide inthe interests of all the children, staff, Governors, parents and carers and thewider community.

The questions asked by the Council were:

Do you support the closure of Keynsham Primary School andredistribution of pupils to other schools?

Do you support the closure of Temple Primary School andredistribution of pupils to other schools?

Do you support the closure of both schools and the creationof a new school on a site to be determined?

87 responses were received to these questions. 26 otherresponses were unclear as to the option favoured by the respondent.

A separate exercise undertaken by the Temple Action Groupdid not ask the same questions but was a useful means of drawing out people'sviews. We are happy to accept these 104 responses to the formal consultation.

Taking all responses together 79 people favour the closureof Keynsham Primary, 25 people favour the closure of Temple Primary and 85people favour the closure of both schools and the creation of a new school on asite to be determined. Only 9 people oppose any closure.

Of all these responses that stated a preference for aparticular site 64 favour Kelston Road, 5 favour Charlton Road, 7 favour theHawthorns site, only 1 favours Manor Road and 79 favour the site known as StJohn's Court. 42 people think that Temple should stay where it is.

In addition 39 letters were received supporting theretention of Temple Primary School. 28 of these letters stated that if theschool had to close and move to a new site then the most suitable site was StJohn's Court. 4 of these letters favoured Kelston Road.

In summary, a majority favour the closure of both schoolsand the creation of a new school. A majority favour the use of St John's Courtas a site for a new school but a considerable number of people favour KelstonRoad.

On this basis the Executive are being asked to consider away forward. Report 11 refers.

2.     Question from Councillor Sarah Bevan (Cllr Bevan was notpresent to ask this question)

Tothe Leader of the Council, Paul Crossley:

Asthe Ward Councillor for Peasedown St John, I have been working for severalmonths now, starting last Autumn, with Peasedown St John Primary school toimprove the rear access to the school by redesigning the footpath leading fromthe residential areas of the village to the school.

TheHead Teacher and I have been passed through no fewer than six differentdepartments and held meetings and discussions with no fewer than six differentofficers to try and get this project carried out, and still, nothing has beendone.

Weare no further forward with this simple project than we were last year beforewe began. It is, for once, not a question of money, since the Head Teacher madeit clear from the start that he can find the funds from the school's devolvedcapital.

1   What measures is the Leader of the Council proposing to rectify the abovesituation?

2   In view of the above, is it possible, and desirable, for the school to appointa private contractor to carry out the work, in the hope that it will be donewithin a reasonable length of time?

3   Who should take responsibility for managing the rear access path improvementproject for Peasedown St John School?

Answerto be given by Executive Councillor Paul Crossley

1. I am pleasedto say that progress is now being made on this project. Prior tocommissioning works issues regarding the status of the footpath and theownership of the land in question needed to be resolved. This has now been doneand the Council's Direct Services Organisation has been requested to take theproject forward.

2. TheHeadteacher met with the Direct Services representative on site onApril 6th and agreed the scope of the works. An estimate will beprovided shortly and it will be for the school, as client, to appoint theDSO as contractor and agree a programme for the project. It is expected thatthe works will be completed in a matter of weeks.

3. The school asclient will have overall management responsibility for the project but the DSOwill manage the project on a day to day basis. Support will be availableto the school as required from the Education Service and Property Services toensure that the Headteacher and Governors are able to fulfil this roleeffectively.

3.     Question from Councillor Caroline Roberts

The Local TransportPlan Capital Programme has been dropped from the agenda for this Executivecommittee meeting. Please would the Executive member explain why this has beendone?

In the past theprogramme has been agreed by committee generally in March after the councilbudget meetings, so can the Executive member tell me what traffic and safetyschemes will be delayed or even lost by this delay in allocation of resources?

Answerto be given by Executive Councillor Sir Elgar Jenkins

The Local TransportPlan Capital Programme was not available for this Executive meeting because theDepartment requested more time to work on it. I agreed with that request.

No traffic and safetyschemes will be delayed or lost