Issue - meetings

To advise Members of the unforeseen cost pressures with the establishment of nursery provision at Oakley (Special) School and to seek additional capital funding. The Cabinet Committee is asked to comment on and either endorse or make a recommendation to the Cabinet Member on the proposed decision set out in the report.

(1)       Jared Nehra (Area Education Officer – West Kent) introduced the report which advised Members of unforeseen cost pressures with the establishment of nursery provision at Oakley (Special School) and sought additional funding of £114,000 from the Basic Need Capital Programme Budget.

(2)       Mr Nehra said the additional costs became apparent as a result of detailed site surveys and related to essential additional ground and drainage works.

(3)       In response to Members’ questions and comments, Mr Nehra said the costs originally presented to the Cabinet Committee were based on initial surveys; the revised proposed expenditure was still considered to be value for money and he was confident there would be no further additional costs.

(4)       In response to a further question, Mr Cooke (Chairman) said that providing a contingency fund for each individual project was not practicable, however, a general contingency was made in the Basic Need Capital Programme. 

(5)       Resolved that the Cabinet Committee endorsed the proposed decision by the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education to:

(i)   Allocate £114,000 from the Basic Need Capital Programme Budget to fund the establishment of nursery provision at Oakley School;

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

(iii)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.