Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: March 5, 2025

Purpose: To seek Cabinet approval to establish a new 200 place Special School for Children and Young People aged 4-16 with complex learning difficulties, together with approval for commissioning, funding and construction of the new school.  

Content: Cllr Stephen Davies, on behalf of Cllr Philip Robinson sought Cabinet approval for the establishment a new 200 place Special School for Children and Young People aged 4-16 with complex learning difficulties, together with approval for commissioning, funding and construction of the new school.   Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and RESOLVED to:     1.               Approve the establishment of a new 200 place special school for children aged 4-16 with complex learning difficulties and delegates authority to the Executive Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Bus Transport, to:   1.1 conduct a free school presumption competition process in accordance with section 6A of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and the Department for Education’s “The Free school presumption” Departmental advice for local authorities and new school proposers   1.2 recommend to the Secretary of State, following conclusion of that competition process, the Council’s findings from its assessment of prospective sponsors in order to enable her to decide upon the most suitable Academy Trust proposer to take forward the new free school.   2.         Approve the allocation of Council land to the west of Alstone Croft in Cheltenham for the purposes of establishing and constructing the new school.   3.         Approve the allocation of £20 million to the approved Children & Families Capital Programme for the new Special School, funded by £5.3 million from unallocated High Needs Provision Capital Grant, £9.5 million from unallocated Basic Need Capital Grant, £5.0 million from unallocated Basic Need top up (existing borrowing) and £0.2 million from the unallocated Carbon Reduction in Education Properties capital budget (existing borrowing).   4.         Delegate authority to the Assistant Director of Asset Management and Property Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Bus Transport and the Cabinet Member for Finance and Property, to conduct a mini-competition process under the Contractor Partnering Framework Agreement: Major Construction Works 2019 for the purpose of awarding a single contract in relation to:   4.1 consultancy support in relation to planning submission and planning approval and   4.2 design, build and complete the handover of the new school   5. Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Children’s Services, . in consultation with the Assistant Director of Asset Management and Property Services, to undertake all ancillary matters to enable the establishment of the new special school.