Purpose

To seek approval to allocate and spend Department for Education (DfE) Basic Need Capital Grant funding to support the expansion of John Masefield High School and the relocation of modular accommodation to Weobley High School.

Decision

That the Cabinet Member:

a)    Approves, the delivery of the John Masefield High School expansion and the Weobley High School modular accommodation project within a total budget of £5.390M;

b)    Delegates authority to the Service Director for Education, Skills and Learning to make all operational decisions required to deliver the works within the overall approved budget, and;

c)    Delegates authority to the Service Director for Education, Skills and Learning to procure and award all necessary contracts required to deliver the programme of works.

Alternative options considered

1.     Do nothing - This option is not recommended. The council has a statutory duty to secure sufficient school places. John Masefield High School has been admitting above its published admission number (PAN) at the request of the council for a number of years due to increasing demand in the Ledbury area arising from demographic growth and significant housing development. Failure to expand the school would increase pressure on local secondary school places and reduce the council’s ability to meet parental preference and avoid additional transport costs.

2.     Retain the existing end-of-life mobile accommodation at Weobley High School.
This option is not recommended as the existing accommodation is at the end of its operational life and does not represent a sustainable long-term solution for the school. The proposal to relocate the modular village from Peterchurch Primary School provides improved teaching accommodation, additional classroom and toilet facilities, and represents better value for money through the reuse of an existing council-owned asset.

3.     Reuse the modular village for an alternative purpose or dispose of the asset.
Alternative reuse opportunities for the modular village were explored, including potential nursery provision. However, planning constraints associated with the suggested location meant that this option was not considered deliverable. Disposal of the modular village was also considered but is not recommended. The modular accommodation was originally purchased with the intention of reuse following completion of the Peterchurch Primary School rebuild project, and disposal would likely realise limited residual value compared to the educational and financial benefits achieved through reuse at Weobley High School.