Purpose

Cabinet is recommended to:
 

(1) 
Approve that financial resources are
allocated to the Schools Capital Programme;

(2) 
Delegate authority to finalise the programme, begin procurement and
award contracts to the Director of Capital Strategy and Portfolio
Management in consultation with the Portfolio Lead Members and
senior officers.
 

Content

Cabinet:
 
(1)           
approved the allocation of the available resources of £49.64m
to the Schools Capital Programme to financial year end 2028/29, as
outlined in Appendix 1 of the report, and for this funding to be
made available to deliver the projects identified in Appendix 2 and
Appendix 3 of the report;

 
(2)           
noted the total resource of £24.74m currently committed
against projects previously approved by Cabinet and by delegated
authority, as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report;
 
(3)           
noted the School’s estate rationalisation workstream,
repurposing existing surplus provision to meet the needs of
children and young people with SEND in
borough to reduce pressure on the Designated Schools Grant and the
General Fund, including reduction of home-school transport;
 
(4)           
delegated authority to finalise this programme, within identified
financial resources, to the Strategic Director of Children
Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Lead Member for
Housing and Regeneration, the Portfolio Lead Member for Children
and Young People, the Strategic Director of Place and the Strategic
Director of Resources;
 
(5)           
delegated authority to the Strategic Director of Place, in
consultation with the Portfolio Lead Member for Housing and
Regeneration, Portfolio Lead Member for Children and Young People
and Strategic Director of Resources:
§    
to proceed with the procurement of projects and
maintenance and improvement works included in the programme,
subject to Strategic Commissioning Board Approval
§    
to award contracts provided they are within the
resources available in the Schools Capital Programme to meet such
commitments.
 

Options & Alternatives Considered

It is a statutory obligation for the Council to ensure that enough
school places of the appropriate type are available within the
borough. Schools are selected for inclusion in programmes of work
where delivery of a project is more likely to be achievable
economically and with fewer risks combined with determined best
educational outcomes. This report relates to confirmed need and
known demands up until 2029.  It is
possible that demand after this period will require new provision
and proposals will be developed should this need materialise.

The available financial resources of £49.64m identified in
Appendix 1, are proposed to be prioritised on projects to meet the
growing demand for SEND/Alternative Provision facilities, potential
future mainstream place need and to continue a planned maintenance
programme for financial years 2026/27 until 2028/29 as School
Condition Allocation Funding for these years has not yet been
confirmed by the DfE. 

Should the Council fail to invest in creating mainstream places,
SEND/Alternative Provision accommodation, or to develop its planned
maintenance programme across the school estate, it risks not
meeting its statutory duty to provide enough safe and suitable
school places for all of its young residents and incurring
increasing costs through placing children out of borough in order
to meet demands.