Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member for Corporate and Democratic Services providing details of requests from the Education Funding Agency (EfA) for Kent County Council to deliver construction projects as part of the Priority Schools Building Programme Round 2. 

The Committee received a report setting out the details of a request received from the Education Funding Agency that KCC deliver construction projects within Kent as part of the Priority Schools Building Programme Round 2. 

The Cabinet Member for Corporate and Democratic Services, Mr. Cooke, introduced the report and said that Kent County Council would receive the necessary funding for the construction project at each school and a Project Delivery Grant to cover all appropriate costs to manage the project. 

Rebecca Spore, Director of Infrastructure, also spoke to the item, in particular she referred to the following:

       i.        On 1 May 2014, the Minister of State for Schools had announced that the Government would fund a further phase of the Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP), with a value of around £2 billion.

      ii.        On 9 February 2015, the Secretary of State for Education and the Minister of State for Schools announced that KCC had been successful for 7 bids in addition to 6 further schools across Kent where Academies had bid directly.

    iii.        The EfA had offered local authorities the opportunity to deliver schemes locally using local procurement arrangements and local supply chains.  These schemes would be funded by the EfA, but the opportunity for local authorities to contribute additional funds for basic need expansion would also be available.  The Cabinet Member was proposing that two schemes proceed through this Local Delivery approach:

a.    Swadelands School, Lenham – replacement of the Science Block

b.    Benenden C of E Primary School – relocation to and expansion on a new site

    iv.        The cost of the Swadelands School, Lenham project was expected to be in the region of £2.5 to £3 million, which would be fully funded by the EfA. 

      v.        The cost of the Benenden C of E Primary School project was expected to be in the region of £5.5 million, of which KCC would contribute to the additional Basic Need requirement of 35 pupils.  The EfA would fund the majority of the project costs and there was also discussion to be held with the diocese as to who would benefit from the land sale.  Any additional capital requirement from KCC would be allocated by agreement of the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform.

The matter was put to the Committee for discussion and officers answered questions relating to the financial commitments of the EfA and the potential risk to the Council.

It was RESOLVED that the proposed decision of the Cabinet Member for Corporate and Democratic Services to:

a)    Authorise the Director of Infrastructure, in consultation with the General Counsel, to enter into any necessary contracts/agreements on behalf of the County Council;

b)    Authorise the Director of Infrastructure to ensure the appropriate level of funding was received from the Education Funding Agency to cover the costs of these projects and to ensure that Kent County Council did not incur any unforeseen costs and, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform, agree apportionment of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102