Purpose

At its meeting on 16 November 2022, Cabinet
resolved (Minute No.193/22) to implement its decision as determined
on 20 July 2022 (Minute No.148/22).

Minute No.148/22 resolved that the Director of Children and
Education submit a further report to Cabinet setting out full
proposals for a capital scheme to provide a replacement primary
school at Brandhall for Causeway Green Primary School.

In order to submit a further report to Cabinet setting out full
proposals for a capital scheme it is necessary to establish a
baseline design for the replacement school, with a budget
estimate.

Executive Decision taken under Cabinet Delegated Authority,
Causeway Green Primary School, Brandhall Village –
Appointment of External Consultants, signed on 30 June 2023
approved the allocation of £275,000 from the council’s
School Condition grant funding reserve to fund initial feasibility
for the replacement build scheme of Causeway Green Primary School
to RIBA Stage 2; Concept Design – Prepare Architectural
Concept incorporating Strategic Engineering requirements and
aligned to cost plan, project strategies and outline specification.
Agree Project brief derogations, undertake design reviews with
client and project stakeholders, prepare stage design
programme.

The DfE has now announced School Condition Allocations for 2024-25.
Until this announcement a funding gap for the project existed which
has delayed submission of a report to Cabinet for the full
allocation of funds to complete the project.

Allocation of £291,000 of School Condition Funding will
enable the project to proceed to RIBA Stage 3: Spatial
Co-ordination – Undertake Design Studies, Engineering
Analysis and Cost Exercises to test the architectural concept for
the scheme, resulting in a spatially co-ordinated design aligned to
an updated Cost Plan, Project Strategies and Outline Specification:
Initiate Change Control Procedures: Prepare Stage Design
Programme.

The preferred build solution for the replacement school is a
Passivhaus design. The council’s in house design team has
advised that for a Passivhaus design the council need to appoint
contractors which have experience of a design to full Passivhaus
certification or a design which follows Passivhaus principles. The
original framework route, via Bloom Procurement Services Ltd,
NEPRO³ framework limited the amount of suppliers, which could
lead to a reduction in tenders and a less competitive tender. In
order to avoid this, the best route to market would be via a single
stage open tender through In-Tend. This method is advertised
countrywide via the In-tend portal and also Contracts Finder, and
therefore reaches a greater audience than through a Framework
route. As this method is open to all who meet the Employers
Requirements, it will also lead to a more competitive tender.

It is not anticipated that a further delegated authority report
will be required for RIBA Stage 4 as a Cabinet report for RIBA
Stage 4 – 7 can now be submitted following the recent School
Condition Allocation announcement.

Content

That in connection with the proposed
relocation and replacement of Causeway Green Primary School at
Brandhall Village approval be given to:

i) allocate £291,000 from the council’s School
Condition Allocation reserve to appoint a contractor via In-Tend,
to reach completion of the RIBA Stage 3 design.

ii) instruct the Director of Regeneration and Growth to proceed
with the appointment of a contractor on a Design and Build basis to
take the project from RIBA Stage 2 to RIBA Stage 3.