Sustainable Education in Torpoint Consultation

On Monday 20^th April, Cornwall Council published full statutory proposals which aimed to address issues around the sufficient, suitable and sustainable education provision within Torpoint and its immediate locality.

In summary, Cornwall Council proposed the merger (otherwise known as an amalgamation) of Torpoint Nursery and Infant School (TNIS) and Carbeile Junior School into a single through-primary school with an on-site nursery provision.

To facilitate this merger, it would be necessary to formally close TNIS and enlarge/change the age range of Carbeile Junior School to accommodate the displaced pupils on the existing Junior School site.

It was intended that Torpoint Nursery and Infant School would close on 31 August 2027.

The Representation Period

During the period Monday 20^th April 2026, to Monday 18^th May 2026 Cornwall Council sought your ideas, feedback and views on the full statutory proposals it had put forward.

This period was known as the “Representation Period” and it formed part of a wider, formal consultation process, which looks like this:

During the Representation Period, Cornwall Council sought to consult with stakeholders (including, in this case, parents and carers of both school-aged and non-statutory school age children, local residents and its employees) around the full proposals it had put forward. Any person or organisation could submit comments on the proposal, to the local authority, to be taken into account by itself, as the decision maker.

There were two ways to provide views and feedback:

• Completion of our Survey

This was designed to enable stakeholders to feedback their support, opposition, comments and questions relating to the full statutory proposal.

• Attendance at takeholder Meetings

In addition, three meetings were arranged, at which stakeholders had an opportunity to hear more about the full statutory proposals put forward, hear answers to frequently asked questions, and share questions and ideas of their own.

These meetings were led by Officers of Cornwall Council and representatives of both schools’ senior leadership teams and their governing bodies were also present.

Officers of Cornwall Council also made themselves available for informal conversations on the gate of each school at either morning drop off, or afternoon pick up, in advance of the meetings held at those schools.

Outcomes from the Formal Representation Period

30 participants responded to our online survey. Whilst the vast majority of these were parents or carers at a child currently educated at one of the schools in Torpoint, we also received survey feedback from local residents, local businesses and community organisations as well as other interested parties.

Overall, 40% of those responding to the survey were strongly supportive of the statutory proposals, with a further 16.7% showing support.

20% of survey participants indicated that they opposed the statutory proposals, with a further 20% opposing them strongly.

3.3 % of survey participants indicated they were neutral or not sure about the proposals.

We were once again delighted with the turnout at the stakeholder meetings. Those who attended were able to hear more about the formal statutory proposals put forward, hear answers to frequently asked questions and share questions and ideas of their own. We later published FAQs and Answers to these on the Consultation webpage.

Recommendations

Following the end of the Representation Period the decision maker (Cornwall Council) is satisfied that the proposer (Cornwall Council) has had regard for the statutory process; and has considered ALL the views and feedback submitted during the Representation Period, including all support for, objections to, and comments on the proposals. It is consequently the recommendation of Senior Officers of the Education Service at Cornwall Council (having regard to the statutory guidance for decision makers) that:

Cornwall Council approves the proposals without modification but subject to the granting of planning permission to enable any necessary infrastructure and building works (the extent of which to be confirmed) to take place.

What happens next?

Cornwall Council has decided that this is a “Key Decision”.

A Key Decision is an executive decision which is likely:

a) to result in the Council incurring expenditure which is, or the making of savings which are, significant having regard to the Council’s budget for the service or function to which the decision relates:

or b) to be significant in terms of its effects on communities living or working in an area comprising two or more electoral divisions in the area of the Council

Senior Cornwall Council Staff, for example Strategic Directors or other officers, are not permitted to make Key Decisions. Instead, this responsibility falls on Cabinet Members (also called Portfolio Holders) who will usually make Key Decisions on Individual Decision Days, planned throughout the year.

The next Individual Decision Day is Wednesday 8^th July 2026.

In response to a request to make a Key Decision, and in spite of any recommendation by Senior Council Officers, Cabinet Members may:

• reject the proposal;
• approve the proposal without modification;
• approve the proposal with such modifications as they think desirable; or
• approve the proposal, with or without modification, subject to certain conditions (such as the granting of planning permission) being met.

Cornwall Council will publish the outcome of the Key Decision as soon as possible after Wednesday 8^th July and will indicate any appropriate next steps.