Agenda item

(Including an update from Grahame Ward following the government’s announcements regarding the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Programme)

(Verbal Report by Mr G Cooke, Deputy Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education, Mr K Abbott, Director of Resources and Planning and Mr G Ward, Director of Capital Programme and Infrastructure)

(Mr L Christie, Leader of the Labour Group was present for this Item and was given permission to speak by the Chairman)

(1)   The Chairman asked Mr Cooke to give his verbal update.  Mr Cooke spoke on the pace of the changes coming from Central government that affected the services of the CFE Directorate.  He advised Members of meetings that had taken place with headteachers and Members of the County Council keeping them informed of the changes, in particular those affecting mainstream schools, special schools and academies and the halting of the Building Schools for the Future programme (BSF).

(2)    Mr Cooke advised Members that although there were more financial savings that had to be made, the front line services would be protected, although this may be more difficult to achieve in the future.  He advised that on 26 July there would be an announcement by the Secretary of State and preparations needed to be in hand of where the capital programme would be targeted.

(3)   Mr Cooke was pleased to announce two Kent School Honours and congratulated Ms Helen Tait, Headteacher at Sandgate Primary School and Folkestone Academy who received a CBE for services to education in Kent and Mr Michael Stevens, Chair of Governors, Oakwood Park School, Maidstone, who received an MBE for voluntary services to education.  The Chairman asked for a letter to be sent to each of them passing on the Committee’s congratulations.

(4)   Members were given the opportunity to ask questions and make comments, which included the following:

(5)   In response to a question by Mr Pugh, Mr Ward advised that consultants had been appointed through the procurement process, for their experience on elements of strategic finance and for technical advice when the first BSF contact was being drawn up.   Mr Ward said that he would, if required to, submit a report giving more detail to a future meeting.

(6)    In reply to a question by Mr Brazier, Mr Ward advised that large amounts of money had been spent on the BSF programme, which included transport surveys etc but felt this would not be wasted.  He was positive about education capital investment, following the announcement by Ht Hon Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education that the education capital was reducing by 50%.  He considered that whilst a significant reduction, 50% of what was being spent was a significant amount at £10-£12m for secondary schools.  This was, however, clearly dependent upon the priorities set by Government.

(7)   In response to a question by Mr Christie, Mrs Hohler advised that stopping the BSF in wave 4 in Thanet and Gravesham meant that only half of the proposed schools had been rebuilt.  The Cabinet had and continued to put out press releases on its disappointment for those 2 areas.  The Cabinet had also written to the Secretary of State for Education to persuade him to reinstate the building of those remaining schools in wave 4.

(8)   In response to a question by Mr Pugh about the Isle of Sheppey Academy, Mr Ward advised that the local authority was responsible for the delivery of the new build part of BSF.  The Academy was in wave 4 the designs were agreed and the contractual obligations were going through.  The Isle of Sheppey Academy was in the same position as the other remaining schools in wave 4.  KCC had committed £6m along with the government funding.  

(9)   RESOLVED that:-

(a)     a report giving more detail on the consultants that had been appointed for elements of strategic finance advice and for technical advice when the first BSF contact was being drawn up  to be submitted to a future meeting; and

(b)      the responses to Members questions and the verbal updates be noted.