Council uses emergency powers to start second public consultation

Rochdale Council has used emergency powers to start a second public consultation into the controversial expansion of St Andrew's Primary School, Dearnley after the council failed to ask Methodist leaders for their opinions.

An initial consultation was carried out earlier this year to change the age range of the school by the addition of a 26 full-time equivalent place nursery class, and enlarge the school to admit a further 15 children in each new year group.

The expansion plans attracted objections from headteachers of nearby primary schools.

A representative of the Rochdale and Littleborough Methodist Church also wrote to the Council questioning why the Methodist Church had not been included in the consultation process.

A report to the council's cabinet, which is being asked to retrospectively authorise the rescinding of the statutory proposals published by the Local Authority on 6 July 2013 for the proposed enlargement of St Andrew’s CE Primary School, and to begin the consultation process afresh, states: 'The DfE statutory guidance arguably would allow cabinet to judge that the proposals are still valid because Stansfield Hall is not one of the schools and parties most directly affected (being two miles away) and that the consultation was otherwise comprehensive and allowed interested parties to voice their views in public and in writing.

'However, Stansfield Hall has itself submitted an objection to the proposals, along with other schools in the area.

'In respect of the proposals to add a nursery class and to increase capacity, neighbouring providers are objecting to the proposals.

'Neighbouring primary schools in Littleborough, Wardle and Smithy Bridge have also criticised the consultation process and their lack of involvement in formulating proposals.

'Taking all these factors into consideration, the Chief Executive has exercised his emergency powers to rescind the published proposals before they are considered by Cabinet, and to start the consultation process afresh.'

A spokesperson for Rochdale Borough Council said: “The Council will be carrying out the consultation a second time to include the Methodist Church group which was not included in the first consultation. This will not affect the time scale for the expansion of St Andrews’s Primary School in Dearnley.”

The cabinet meeting is at 6.15pm on Monday 16 September at Number One Riverside.