Decision details

How the decision relates to Facing the Challenge and Corporate Objectives

This proposal will help to secure the council’s ambition “to ensure that Kent’s young people have access to the education, work and skills opportunities necessary to support Kent business to grow and be increasingly competitive in the national and international economy” as set out in ‘Increasing Opportunities, Improving Outcomes: Kent County Council’s Strategic Statement (2016 2020)’.

The Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent 2016-2020 sets out how the council will carry out our responsibility for ensuring there are sufficient places of high quality, in the right places, for all learners and this proposal supports that aim to provide sufficient places where they are needed.

Financial Implications: The costs of this project will be outlined in the report that will be considered by the Education and Young People’s Services Cabinet Committee.

Legal Implications: Any legal implications will be identified in the report to the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform before he takes his decision to issue a public notice.

Equality Implications:  An Equality Impact Assessment will be produced before the start of the consultation process and will be accessible on line via the following link: www.kent.gov.uk/schoolconsultations.

The matter is referred to in the directorates Business Plan/Medium Term Capital Programme.

As Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform, I agree to

a)         authorise the Corporate Director - Education and Young People's Services to issue Public Notice to expand  the capacity of Wickhambreaux CE School from 105 to 140 pupil places, with a published admissions number of 20 from September 2018 (subject to planning permission being granted);

b)         allocate £350k from the Education and Young People’s Service Capital budget;

c)         authorise the Director of Infrastructure in consultation  with the General Counsel (Interim) to enter into any necessary contracts/ agreements on behalf of the County Council; and

d)         authorise the Director of Infrastructure to be the nominated Authority Representative within the relevant agreements and to enter into variations as envisaged under the contracts. Variations to contract value to be no more than 10% above the capital funding agreed by the Cabinet Member without requiring a new Record Of Decision.

Should objections, not already considered by the Cabinet Member when taking this decision, be received during the public notice period a separate decision will be required in order to continue the proposal in order to allow for proper consideration of the points raised.