Councillor Tom Bruce, Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio holder for Assets, Regeneration and Development, was scheduled to consider a proposal for the expansion of Cedars Special School. This expansion aims to increase specialist secondary places within the borough and involves allocating capital funding and awarding a direct contract.

Cedars Special School Expansion to Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4

The primary item scheduled for discussion was the proposed temporary expansion of Cedars Special School to establish Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 provision. This initiative is intended to address a rising demand for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision and a significant shortfall in in-borough secondary places. The report pack indicated that the current lack of local secondary provision leads to disruption for pupils during transitions and an increased reliance on costly out-of-borough and independent placements.

The expansion is designed to contribute to the Council's SEND Sufficiency Strategy by reducing cost pressures within the High Needs Block and strengthening the local SEND system. It is presented as a sustainable, local solution that builds on existing provision at Cedars, aiming to improve continuity of education and outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

The report pack outlined three options considered:

• Option A: Do Nothing (Maintain Status Quo): This would involve continuing with existing arrangements, placing pupils through current pathways, including out-of-borough placements where required. The weakness identified was that this option does not address the sufficiency gap, leading to increasing placement pressures and high long-term costs, with poor outcomes for children.
• Option B: External Commissioning (OOB / Independent Placements): This option would increase reliance on independent and out-of-borough placements. While offering immediate capacity and short-term flexibility, it was noted for its high and escalating costs, limited local control, inconsistent quality, and poor long-term sustainability.
• Option C: Expand Cedars Special School (Preferred Option): This proposal involves expanding Cedars to provide Key Stage 3 and 4 provision, starting with Year 7 in 2026 and growing incrementally. Strengths include creating local capacity, supporting continuity of provision, reducing costs, aligning with the estate strategy, and being deliverable within the required timeframe. The main weakness identified is the need for capital investment and phased workforce and site development.

The report recommended approving the expansion, allocating £1.295m in capital funding for the design and delivery of the required accommodation, and approving the direct contract award to Portakabin Ltd. It also proposed delegating authority to the Director of Asset Management to finalise the project scope, phasing, and delivery model, enter into necessary legal contracts, and make minor variations within the approved budget.

The proposal aligns with the Council's statutory duty under the Education Act 1996 to secure sufficient school places for children with SEND. It is also linked to corporate priorities such as improving outcomes for children and young people, reducing inequalities by enabling pupils to remain within their communities, supporting financial sustainability, maximising the use of existing Council assets, and strengthening a resilient local SEND system.

The report highlighted potential risks, including delivery delays impacting pupil sufficiency and cost pressures during construction. Mitigation measures such as robust project management and cost planning were mentioned. Financially, the expansion is expected to be funded from the Department for Education's High Needs Provision Capital Allocation, with anticipated revenue savings from reduced use of more expensive external placements.

A notice regarding an urgent Key Decision indicated that the decision was being made with less than five days' notice due to the need to comply with the statutory duty to provide school places by September 2026. The Chair of the Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee was informed, and it was agreed that the decision should not be subject to the call-in provisions due to the urgency. The implementation date for the expansion, if not called in, was scheduled for 8 May 2026, with construction intended to start in June 2026 and completion for commissioning and handover in September 2026.