• To note the feedback from the Herefordshire Schools Task Group (HSTG) formal consultation.
• To consider the recommendations of the Herefordshire Schools Task Group.

THAT:

(a)       The five Cluster Working proposals as detailed at paragraph 10 of the report be endorsed;

(b)              The four School Leadership proposals as detailed at paragraph 12 of the report be endorsed;

(c)              The principle of establishing sustainability criteria and thresholds be endorsed and that officers and partners be requested to produce a detailed analysis of Small Schools by Design models, including Sustainable Schools criteria and thresholds, which can inform judgements on suitability of cluster plans once submitted be reported back to Cabinet within three months;

(d)              Cabinet endorsed the five Finance proposals as detailed at paragraph 18 of the report and in addition requested that officers progress the recommendation of the Task Group that further development be undertaken of the proposal at paragraph 17 (e) of the report to ensure an appropriate balance of provision across the county;

(e)               Cabinet endorsed the implementation of existing policies by Local Authority (LA) and Diocesan officers implementing existing policies in their work with schools which face challenging circumstances and in addition that recommendations (a) and (b) above be implemented with immediate effect in order to further support this; and

(f)                Cabinet supports the LA and Diocesan officers in their work with schools and clusters to develop local plans of partnership working to inform a long-term strategic plan for Herefordshire.

The pressure on all schools in delivering high quality provision for our children and young people in a time of falling pupil numbers and therefore reducing budgets is significant and increasingly unsustainable. A strategy for sustainable provision is required. This needs to be developed and implemented with all stakeholders involved. This consultation was a first step towards this.

There are no alternative options.