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Cabinet - Tuesday, 11th June, 2024 2.00 pm

June 11, 2024 View on council website
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Summary

The Coventry City Council Cabinet meeting on 11 June 2024 focused on the budget increase for the relocation of Woodfield Schools to the Woodlands School site. The Cabinet approved additional funding to cover the shortfall due to inflation and other complexities, ensuring the project could proceed without delay.

Woodfield Relocation to Woodlands Site - Budget Increase

The Cabinet discussed a report from the Director of Partnerships and Performance regarding the budget increase needed for the relocation of Woodfield Schools to the Woodlands School site. The project had encountered a shortfall due to inflation, design complexities, and additional costs from invasive surveys and planning requirements.

The urgency of the decision was highlighted by Councillor N Akhtar, Chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee, who noted that the tender process had a validity period ending on 24 May. Delays in decision-making could lead to increased costs and impact the construction schedule, affecting school pupils and the council's reputation. The Department for Education (DfE) was also pressuring the council and the Academy Trust to expedite the process.

The Cabinet approved the additional funding required to cover the shortfall, ensuring the project could proceed. The decision was not subject to call-in due to the urgency of the matter.

The academy conversion cannot take place until the works contract is signed. Any delays to appointing the contractor will impact the academisation process, stated the report.

The project was initially approved in principle on 18 October 2021, with further resources allocated in the One Strategic Plan report presented to the Cabinet on 10 January 2023. The council had received additional High Needs Capital funding in March 2024, which would be allocated as part of the annual One Strategic Plan report.

The Cabinet resolved to:

  1. Approve the additional sum required for the capital refurbishment works, financed from existing education capital resources.
  2. Delegate authority to the Director of Finance and Resources, in consultation with the Director of Partnerships and Performance, the Director of Law and Governance, and the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, to undertake necessary due diligence and approve any incidental actions required to implement the decision.

Further details on the commercially sensitive financial matters were discussed in a private report.

For more information, you can refer to the minutes of the meeting.

Attendees

Megan Drage
Oluremi Aremu
Adrian West
Elaine Atthey
Julie Wheeler
Phil Helm
Profile image for Councillor Pervez Akhtar
Councillor Pervez Akhtar  Labour •  Whoberley
Profile image for Councillor Kamran Caan
Councillor Kamran Caan  Labour •  Upper Stoke
Profile image for Councillor George Arthur Duggins
Councillor George Arthur Duggins  Labour •  Longford
Profile image for Councillor Abdul Salam Khan
Councillor Abdul Salam Khan  Labour •  Foleshill
Profile image for Councillor Jim O'Boyle
Councillor Jim O'Boyle  Labour •  St Michael's
Profile image for Councillor Gary Ridley
Councillor Gary Ridley  Conservative •  Woodlands
Profile image for Councillor Patricia Seaman
Councillor Patricia Seaman  Labour •  Henley
Profile image for Councillor Patricia Hetherton
Councillor Patricia Hetherton  Labour •  Radford
Profile image for Councillor Gavin Lloyd
Councillor Gavin Lloyd  Labour •  Sherbourne
Profile image for Councillor Richard Brown
Councillor Richard Brown  Labour •  Cheylesmore
Profile image for Councillor Naeem Akhtar
Councillor Naeem Akhtar  Labour •  St Michael's
Profile image for Councillor Lindsley Harvard
Councillor Lindsley Harvard  Labour •  Longford
Profile image for Councillor Ram Parkash Lakha OBE
Councillor Ram Parkash Lakha OBE  Labour •  Binley and Willenhall
Profile image for Councillor Dr Kindy Sandhu
Councillor Dr Kindy Sandhu  Labour •  Earlsdon
Profile image for Councillor Linda Bigham
Councillor Linda Bigham  Labour •  Longford
Susanna Newing
Profile image for Councillor Gurdev Hayre
Councillor Gurdev Hayre  Labour •  Upper Stoke
Profile image for Councillor Peter Male
Councillor Peter Male  Conservative •  Woodlands
Sabina Hancock
Bernadette Sweetman
Profile image for Councillor Maya Ali
Councillor Maya Ali  Labour •  Radford
Profile image for Councillor Shakila Nazir
Councillor Shakila Nazir  Labour •  Foleshill
Alison Duggal
Profile image for Councillor Rupinder Singh
Councillor Rupinder Singh  Labour •  Lower Stoke
Profile image for Councillor Seyi Agboola
Councillor Seyi Agboola  Labour •  Binley and Willenhall
Profile image for Councillor Abdul Jobbar
Councillor Abdul Jobbar  Labour •  Westwood
Profile image for Councillor Catherine Elizabeth Miks
Councillor Catherine Elizabeth Miks  Labour •  Lower Stoke
Profile image for Councillor Christine Elizabeth Thomas
Councillor Christine Elizabeth Thomas  Labour •  Binley and Willenhall
Profile image for Councillor Stephen Gray
Councillor Stephen Gray  Green Party •  Holbrook
Profile image for Councillor Faye Abbott
Councillor Faye Abbott  Labour •  Wyken
Julie Nugent
Marc Greenwood

Topics

No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.

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