Issue - meetings

To receive a report that sets out the reasons behind the request to increase the funding allocated from the Education, Learning and Skills Capital Budget for the expansion of Joy Lane Primary School and informs the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform of the revised costs for the project.

(1)       Marissa White (Area Education Officer-East Kent) introduced the report which set out the reasons for the request to increase the funding allocated from the Education Learning and Skills Capital Budget for the expansion of Joy Lane Primary School and informed the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform of the revised costs of the project. It also asked the Cabinet Committee to consider and endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform on the proposed decision to increase the funding from £1.5m to £3.5m.

(2)       Mrs White said that the original estimate of £1.5m was based on the provision of seven additional classrooms and ancillary facilities.  She also said that the expansion of the school had to be phased in to ensure the school could accommodate the additional pupils that had been admitted and to undertake consultation relating to the main build project following local concerns about traffic management and parking.

(3)       The original scheme had to be re-designed to address potential planning objections arising from increased pressure on the road system.  The revised scheme which would create a one-way traffic system required the demolition of a de-commissioned care home building to connect the internal roadway to Vulcan Close and the re-siting of fencing to take some of the care home site into the boundary of Joy Lane Primary School to provide additional parking spaces.  This revised scheme required additional funding.  The phasing of the project and the re-design of the main scheme had resulted in an increase in the overall cost of the project.

(4)       Resolved that the Cabinet Committee endorsed the proposed decision of the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform to increase the funding allocated from the Education and Young People’s Services Capital Budget to expand Joy Lane Primary School from £1.5m to £3.5m.