Purpose

To approve the utilisation of funding acquired
from the 2021 CIL allocation by CCDC to replace two poor quality
classrooms currently housed in a single temporary modular building
at the Five Ways Primary school in Heath Hayes, Cannock, with a
permanent build on the school site.

To approve the sealing of the grant agreement between CCDC and
SCC.

Content

SCC successfully bid for CIL Funding from CCDC
as part of the 2021 allocation to replace temporary mobile
accommodation with permanent buildings.

The project was approved as noted in the minutes of the Cabinet
meeting held on the 15th March 2023. ‘That the Schools
Capital Programme 2023/24 investment proposal, set out in the
report and supporting appendices, be approved’.

Extract set out in appendix 4 of the report provided below;

“SCC successfully bid for Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
Funding from Cannock Chase District Council (CCDC) to replace
temporary mobile accommodation with permanent buildings. The
c£500k CIL Funding will be supported by the capital programme
for projects at Chadsmoor Community Infant and Nursery School, Five
Ways Primary School and the John Bamford Primary School.
c£394k has also been secured for Etching Hill Primary
Academy“

Approval is now sought to utilise the funding successfully secured
as part of the CIL programme to replace two poor quality classrooms
currently housed in a single temporary modular building with a
permanent build. This project is a like for like replacement so no
planning approval will be required.

The replacement of poor quality accommodation that is no longer fit
for purpose, with two general teaching classrooms, supporting
accommodation and enhancement of informal play areas will improve
the learning environment for local children. This will deliver the
provision of high-quality primary school places for local children,
and will result in an improvement to the school environment for the
delivery of the school’s curriculum offer.

Approval is also sought for the sealing of the grant agreement
between CCDC ad SCC.

Alternative options considered

The CIL is intended to provide a funding
stream for infrastructure needed to support the policies and
proposals in the Cannock Chase District Council adopted Local Plan.
Staffordshire County Council received an invitation to bid for CIL
funding in 2021 and subsequently submitted an application to fund
four projects to replace outdated and poor condition volumetric
accommodation at four primary schools, two in Cannock and two in
Rugeley, with permanent structures. The Five Ways primary school
project was one of the successful applications and was awarded
£159,374.50 which was assessed to be 48.5% of the total cost
of the project estimated to be £328,749 at the time of
application. Following approval of the bid costs have been
re-assessed and the total cost of the Five Ways project is
estimated to have increased by £108,547. The CIL allocation
will therefore in actuality fund closer to 36% of the total cost of
the project.

The project will replace outdated volumetric classbases in poor
condition with two general teaching classrooms, supporting
accommodation (including toilets) and the enhancement of informal
play areas. The permanent build will be position on the same
footprint as the existing temporary modular building so planning
approval will not be necessary. This project will enable the school
to more efficiently deliver the Key Stage 2 (KS2) curriculum. It
will also alleviate current KS2 overcrowding issues, as well as
resolving the current requirement for children being taught in the
temporary accommodation having to access toilets elsewhere in the
school which impacts on class time and requires the children to
have to go outside regardless of the weather.