Decision details

Background Information:

In 2016 it was agreed that Sellindge Primary School would be expanded by 0.5FE taking the school to 1FE. This was due to a new housing development of 250 homes opposite Sellindge Primary School.  The developer committed to provide additional land for the School to enable the building to expand, plus £836K in financial contributions.

Since the paper was presented, further development in the Village has been consented which will require the school to expand further in order to ensure sufficient primary places. This development is to provide £528,000 towards the expansion. Additionally, the school is close to the proposed garden town of Otterpool Park (10,000 homes). If consented, the school is likely to be the only option for expansion to support the schooling needs of this community ahead of any school being built. The school is likely, therefore, to need to be expanded to 2FE in the future.

Options:

In order to meet the anticipated future demands and to secure best value for money it is proposed that the School is expanded in 2 phases. First through the provision of six classes. Second, the creation of a second storey of six class on top of the first phase. This would take the School to 2FE.

As Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education I agree to:

(i)       Allocate £1,500,000 from the Children’s, Young People and Education Capital budget to enable a six-classroom block to be added to Sellindge Primary School enabling the school to expand to 1FE;

(ii)        Authorise the Director of Property and Infrastructure Support in consultation with the Director of Governance and Law to enter into any necessary contracts/ agreements on behalf of the County Council; and

(iii)       Authorise the Director of Property and Infrastructure Support 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.