Issue - meetings

 – report by Mrs Sarah Hohler, Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education Directorate and Mr Malcolm Newsam, Interim Managing Director, Children, Families & Education Directorate ((Mr Grahame Ward, Director of Resources, CFE and Rebecca Spore, Head of BSF, PFI and Academies Team were present for this item)

(1)       This report sought approval of the affordability position, the submission of the Final Business Case and approval to enter into all necessary contracts/agreements for the Kent Skinners Academy.

(2)       The Department of Education and Partnership for Schools (PfS) expected Academies to be procured either via a Local Educational Partnership (LEP) where one is in place or from the Partnerships for Schools Contractors’ Framework. The proposed academies which form Batch 2 fell outside the area covered by Kent’s LEP 1 and therefore it would be necessary to procure the building works for these academies under a batched contract from the National Framework.

(3)       KCC, PfS, DfE and the relevant Academy Trusts had agreed that significant time and cost efficiencies could be realised for all parties by tendering all six as a single batched programme through the PfS National Framework. This removed the repeat time and financial costs associated with separate transactions.  Each scheme would though be contractually separate and the contract that would be signed for the Skinners’ Kent Academy, related solely to that scheme.

(4)       Following Cabinet approval on 11th January 2010, and final Outline Business Case approvals KCC began the procurement from the PfS National Framework (South) following which Willmott Dixon was selected as the Preferred Bidder with a view to developing detailed proposals.

(5)       The report also provided an analysis of the key risks and implications for the Council of a number of factors and these included the costs of dealing with contamination and asbestos removal not identified in the surveys already undertaken, archaeological discoveries, off site utility upgrades, judicial review and the need for the Council to consider its position as contract signature approaches.  As with the Isle of Sheppey Academy, officers confirmed that a project contingency had been put in place should asbestos be found during the demolition phases and that would assist with how such materiel would be dealt with. The funding of this contingency would be allowed for as part of the capital programme for the Skinners Academy. The report also highlighted what contractural liabilities the Council could incur should for any reason the project not reach the stage of contract signature.

(8)       Cabinet resolved:

         (a)    that the Final Business Case for the Kent Skinners Academy  (Lead scheme in Batch 2) be agreed and submitted for final departmental approval by Partnership for Schools, the Department of Education and the Treasury;

(b)    following recommendation from the Director, CFE, Capital Programme and Infrastructure, the Head of PFI/PPP in consultation with the Leader of the Council be authorised to agree final contractual terms, provided the affordability gap to KCC in relation to the build contract did not exceed that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16

(Item B – report by Mrs Sarah Hohler, Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education Directorate and Ms Rosalind Turner, Managing Director (Mr Grahame Ward, Director of Resources, CFE and Rebecca Spore, Head of BSF, PFI and Academies Team were present for this item)

(i)         KCC is at the forefront of local authorities developing Academies to provide the opportunity and resources to transform the life chances of disadvantaged communities, delivering a new learning infrastructure, enhanced curriculum opportunities and key skills for life and work.  In continuing this work this

expressions of Interest had been submitted to and approved by the DCSF to establish the following schools which would form the Batch 2 Academies project:

·        Skinners’ Kent Academy, Tunbridge Wells.

·        Knole Academy, Sevenoaks

·        Christchurch  Academy, Dover

·        Duke of York Royal Military Academy, Dover

·        John Wallis Church of England Academy, Ashford.

·        Astor of Hever, Maidstone

(ii)        During the course of discussion Mr Carter said he supported the concept of Academies and wanted to see them playing an integrated part of providing a successful mixed economy of education across the county.  Mr Ward said in relation to the Duke of York Academy that the County Council’s Capital Programme made no provision for the development costs so the Council was positively looking for those to be provided for by the Government. Cabinet placed on record the fact that the Council would not itself be in a position to pay for any of the capital costs associated with the development of the Duke of York Academy.

Cabinet resolved:

(i)         to agree to  the submission of the Outline Business Case (OBC) for the Skinners Academy  to the DCSF and Partnerships for Schools (PFS)  based on the affordability parameters set out in the Cabinet report and upon approval of the OBC  to undertake a mini competition to appoint a contractor from the National Framework to deliver the Batch 2 Academies.

(ii)        to delegate authority to the Director of Capital Programme and Infrastructure, CFE and the Head of the BSF team, CFE in consultation with the Cabinet Member for CFE, the Managing Director of CFE and the Leader to proceed with the mini competition as described in the Cabinet report, including entering into necessary documents with PfS to enable access to the PFS National Framework within the affordability parameters set out within the report.

(iii)       to note that a recommendation would  be made to Cabinet as to the appointment of the Preferred Bidder and final confirmation will be sought to submit the Final Business Case, the affordability position and to proceed to contract award in respect of the Batch 2 Procurement and the Skinners Academy. Regular progress updates will be made to the BSF, PFI and Academies Programme Board.

(iv)       to note in relation to the Duke of York Academy that the County Council’s Capital Programme made no provision for the development costs so the County Council was positively looking for those to be provided for by the Government. Should the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6