The Executive Decision meeting of Waltham Forest Council on Wednesday 18 March 2026 is scheduled to consider a contract variation for the construction of a High Needs Centre and Family Resilience Centre. This meeting is not open to the public.

Contract Variation for High Needs Centre & Family Resilience Centre

The primary item scheduled for discussion is a contract variation for the construction of the High Needs Centre and Family Resilience Centre located at 23-25 North Birkbeck Road, E11 4JF. This variation is necessary to cover payments for the delivery of the project. The proposed variation amounts to £1,075,852, which would increase the total contract value to £8,505,883.

The report pack indicates that this variation does not alter the project's scope but addresses increased costs arising from risks and issues encountered during the design and construction phases. These issues included changes to foundation design due to ground conditions and the switch from gas heating to electrically powered air source heat pumps, which required a new electrical substation. Additionally, commercial negotiations concerning a contractor delay claim have impacted the final account. Expert technical advice was sought to help negotiate the contractor's claim, which reportedly resulted in a significant reduction, safeguarding the council's financial position.

The report outlines that the additional expenditure, including associated professional fees, is managed within the overall Schools' Capital Programme project budget of £10,600,000. Funding for the project was approved as part of the Schools Capital Programme 2025–2029 and is to be financed by central government grants for school building expansion and maintenance.

The report also notes that the council has a statutory obligation under Section 19(1) of the Education Act 1996 to arrange suitable full-time education for permanently excluded pupils. The co-location of the Youth Offending Service with the High Needs Centre is intended to foster closer working relationships between these services and supports the council's mission to Ensure every family and every child are given every opportunity.

The decision-maker for this executive decision is Councillor Ahsan Khan, Deputy Leader (Housing and Regeneration). The report author is Michele Pertaub, Senior Project Manager Place. The meeting is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 18 March 2026, at 10:30 am.