Purpose

Business case for refurbish the empty Baden Powell Primary school to be used as an SEND school managed by Ickburgh School

Decision

RESOLVED:

To approve the proposal to appoint Contractor C to create provision for 48 new places for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) 48 secondary age pupils with SEMH needs at the former Baden Powell Primary school by July 2027.

Reasons For Decision

1. The report outlines the tendering process behind the Baden Powell Refurbishment project, which has determined the winning bidder to be Contractor C.

The report serves as a recommendation for awarding the contract to Contractor C.

1. The contractor is procured to create provision for 48 new places for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) 48 secondary age pupils with SEMH needs at the former Baden Powell Primary school by July 2027.
2. The contractor will deliver the project to the detail set out in the Employer’s Requirements. This will include installing sustainable technology including Photovoltaics panels and air source heat pumps.
3. The contractor has been selected based on their project experience and their response to meeting the requirements within their tender submission in relation to the Council's social and sustainability criteria (including LLW, providing apprenticeships and social value benefits, environmental policy, recycling and carbon emissions management). The report will provide further context on the winning contractor’s bid.
4. There is an urgent need for SEND provision for Hackney resident children.  Around 20% of children and young people in Hackney have an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) or receive Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support, which is more than the London and national averages.  The number of people with an EHCP in Hackney since the SEND strategy 2022 has increased by 20%. 
5. This project supports the overall priorities of the Council through the specific priorities set out in the following strategies and plans:

  i.  SEND Strategy:  We will increase our local special provision over the next three years to enable more children and young people to go to school locally in their communities.

  ii.  Hackney Education Three Year Improvement Plan: Providing quality places for every child 0-19 - implementing the school place strategy (including SEND and Charedi) and supporting our schools through change; leading on a post 16 strategy; transforming children centres.

  iii.  Education Sufficiency & Estate Strategy: Creation of sufficient additional in-borough special school places.

The Education Sufficiency and Estate Strategy Paper was agreed at cabinet in February 2022. Priority 1 committed to increasing our SEND Places in Hackney and the delivery of new SEND places. The equalities impact assessment from 2023 cabinet progression and latest 2023 version is available for consideration  here.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Options considered:

1. In-house provision: Due to the specialist nature of the works, LBH does not have the capability, capacity or skills to deliver the construction or consultancy for the project in-house.
2. Direct Award to Contractor: This method would not demonstrate competition, and is unlikely to deliver the value for money which can be demonstrated through a competitive exercise in compliance with the Council’s Contract Standing Orders.
3. Use of lots: This option is not recommended due to the size of the project. A single contractor procurement will achieve economies of scale as this will require only one set of prelims and reduce site set up and management costs. This would result in significant use of client resources through several tendering exercises and client management. A single contractor is likely to be able to control the programme rather than the coordination of handover of the site to different contractors.
4. Do nothing: This option is not recommended due to the strategic requirement for the project. The creation of the provision is considerably less costly to the council than placing children in a Special school or travelling to school out of the borough.