00:00So today we had a decision around Warrington Fields. It was an urgent decision that was brought forward because we were presented with a JR from the Four Seas Academy Trust and the decision to actually settle the claim was made by members across the cabinet with obvious contributions made by the opposition in Councillor John Howard in their views.
00:27It was actually an exercise to make sure that we were following due process in each of the cabinet members being served as you saw in the cabinet report papers with the pros and cons of each of the options that we were to decide upon.
00:44The first option was to either defend the claim, the pros and cons of that were presented to us. The second option was to settle the claim with the pros and cons highlighted to us.
00:55And the third option was to concede the claim without any contest whatsoever. Now, councillors had their say, cabinet members had their say around the board.
01:08I think that it was very meaningful in the way of the three ward councillors, councillors John and Judy Fox and councillor Sarah Hillier, making heartfelt representations.
01:19And what I'd like to say over here is that we have the Four Seas and the Save Warrington Fields group who, in their own way, it was very important to balance the views of the Save Warrington Fields group.
01:35And also, in this, our decision as cabinet was to put the children first, put those children first. We have always been an administration who was going to bat for the children.
01:49And that was at the centre and forefront of our decision today. As an overarching authority, we have a responsibility and a duty of care towards all children. And yes, towards the residents of the city as well.
02:03But the debate and arguments weighed heavily in favour of the children. As far as we're concerned, in terms of being a neutral body, it's not about taking sides with the Four Seas Academy Trust or the Save Warrington Fields group,
02:17whose, I'd like to say, whose, I'd like to say, reasons were valid, they were heartfelt, they've been considered. So, just to say that everybody's voices were heard. This has been an incredibly difficult decision for everybody that has been involved, on which side of the debate you stand.
02:37But I want people to know that we went into that with open minds and made that decision after hearing out. And our coalition is made of cross-party councillors. And Councillor Christian Hogg made an incredibly significant point about the fact that there are a number of schools in contesting the claim that this could be taxpayers' money that could be used,
03:03if the costs are significant, if the costs are significant, if the costs are significant, and where our priorities lie in the city as an administration.
03:08And that is putting our children, who are the future of our city, front and centre of that decision that we made.
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