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RESOLVED:
 
1. 
The outcomes of the informal stage of consultation and
Equality Impact Analysis provided as Appendix 1 were
considered;
 
2. 
Whether to publish a statutory notice and proposal for
the closure of St Dominic’s RC Primary School was
considered;
 
3. 
Proceeding to the next stage of the statutory process
by publishing the notice and initiating the statutory
representation period, which will run from Thursday 6 February to
Wednesday 5 March 2025, was agreed.
 
REASONS FOR DECISION
 
The recommendations are made in order to
determine the Council’s response to the consultation
proposals to close St Dominic’s RC Primary School on 31
August 2025.
 
Prior to determination of the initial
proposals and during the consultation period a number of
alternatives were explored to support a sustainable St
Dominic’s RC Primary School. These were discussed in detail
with the School Governing Body and the Roman Catholic Diocese of
Westminster Board (RCDOW) in a series of meetings held between 12
September 2024 and 14 January 2025. Unfortunately, no alternatives
were found to be viable. The reasons for the recommendation
together with the alternatives considered and the explanations as
to why they could not be pursued have been set out in Appendix
2.
 
It is therefore recommended that Cabinet agree
to the publication of a statutory notice proposal to close
(discontinue) St Dominic’s RC Primary School on 31 August
2025.
 
DETAILS OF ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND
REJECTED

 
Cabinet could decide not to proceed to the
next stage of the statutory consultation, in which case the Council
would not be able to proceed with the closure proposal for St
Dominic’s RC Primary School. The Council would then have to
decide on how the school’s budget deficit would be funded
beyond the 2024/25 school year, given that it is not financially
viable and is most unlikely to see a sufficient increase in its
pupil numbers for the situation to change in the foreseeable
future.
 
Cabinet could decide to delay its decision on
proceeding to the next stage of the statutory consultation, but
this would mean that the school’s financial position would be
very likely to worsen, impacting on the quality of education for
its current pupils and leaving an even bigger budget deficit,
should the school close later than the proposed date of 31 August
2025.  Officers are convinced that any
delay would not be in the best interests of educational provision
in the area.