Purpose

To approve the proposed expenditure of capital grants for the school buildings maintenance works.

Decision

That:

a)    The Service Director for Education, Skills and Learning be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the programme of works, and any urgent contingency schemes required, within the approved budget of £3.97 million for school maintenance projects over financial years 2026/27 and 2027/28 (subject to Full Council approval);

b)    The Service Director for Education, Skills and Learning be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the additional programme of works, within the additional approved budget of £2.79 million for Aylestone School improvement works over financial years 2026/27 and 2027/28 (subject to full council approval);

c)    The Service Director for Education, Skills and Learning be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to vary the programme of works should the amount of funding received from the Department for Education differ from that used to determine the initial programme of works; and

d)    The Service Director for Education, Skills and Learning be authorised to take all operational decisions relating to the procurement and award of contracts for the above programmes of work.

Alternative options considered

1.              The maintenance grant supporting building works in schools could be profiled differently. The schemes will be determined based on the most recent condition reports produced for each school. The profile will be produced by the consultants undertaking the update of the condition reports and will be considered extensively by the school’s capital investment strategy team, the Council’s property services section and the capital strategy consultative group (involving headteachers). The proposed works will address the known priorities.

2.              Not to undertake any capital works at Aylestone School. This is not recommended as the school estate will continue to deteriorate further which will place further pressure on the school and the Council’s finance in the future. Further deterioration may also mean the school will be unable to operate normally which could impact on the school community.