Bath schools decision call-in date set

A council scrutiny panel is to review a decision by councillors on the future of secondary schools in Bath.

Bath and North East Somerset (Banes) Council's cabinet voted to recommend the closure of Culverhay School at a meeting on 21 July.

Twenty seven opposition councillors later signed a formal challenge calling in the decision.

The council's scrutiny panel will consider the matter on 10 August.

The cabinet also decided to support the proposed federation of St Mark's C of E School with St Gregory's Catholic College, and support Oldfield School in its quest to become an academy, provided it becomes co-educational.

'Residents abandoned'

A consultation on the recommendation to close the all-boys Culverhay School, which had wanted to introduce girls, is on hold in light of the call-in.

A number of Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors signed the challenge.

A council spokesman said the reasons stated in the call-in included that the public consultation had been based on the scenario of closing three schools and reopening two, but that scenario had been "abandoned", leaving residents "disenfranchised"'.

The scrutiny panel can recommend that the cabinet should reconsider the decision, proceed with it, or refer the matter to the full council.

Members of the public wishing to speak or provide written submissions should contact the council's democratic services department by 1700 BST on 5 August.

The meeting will take place at 1730 BST in the Guildhall, Bath.