Agenda item

Robert Veale (Assistant Director of Education-East Kent) and David Adams (Deputy Director-Effectiveness, Sufficiency and Skills) were present for the item:

1. Introduced the report seeking approval for a capital contribution towards the Department for Education Schools Rebuild Programme at Water Meadows Primary School.

a)    Explained that the Department for Education was progressing a rebuild of the existing one form entry school and that Kent County Council had identified a future requirement to expand the school in response to planned housing growth within the locality. The proposed contribution would enable core facilities required for a future two form entry school to be incorporated within the redesign and rebuilding programme.

b)    Advised that the proposal represented a cost-effective opportunity to future-proof the site and ensure that the infrastructure required for future expansion was delivered as part of the current scheme. Members were informed that the proposal was supported by pupil forecasts contained within the Council’s commissioning plans and reflected anticipated demand arising from housing developments within the area.

c)    The Committee was advised that the estimated capital contribution to the Department for Education was up to £1.4 million and comprised approximately £1 million in base build costs and around £300,000 for external works and associated infrastructure.

d)    Members noted that the authority had already secured just over £1 million through developer contributions towards the project and officer informed the Committee that an application had also been submitted to Canterbury City Council for Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding of approximately £380,000 to meet the remaining cost.

e)    Members were advised that the outcome of the funding bid was expected in October. It was discussed that, should the application be unsuccessful, the authority would be required to fund the shortfall from its own resources.

2. In response to comments and questions it was said:

a)    Officers confirmed that the updated Commissioning Plan for Education Provision would be presented to the Committee later in the year (November) and that current forecasts continued to support the need for additional primary capacity within the planning group.

b)    In response to questions concerning future expansion arrangements, officers advised that the proposal related solely to the provision of core infrastructure. Additional teaching accommodation would be considered through a future decision should pupil demand materialise as anticipated.

c)    Members welcomed the inclusion of future expansion requirements within the rebuilding project and queried whether further preparatory works could be undertaken now to reduce disruption in future years. Officers advised that discussions continued with the Department for Education (DfE) regarding the most cost-effective approach to delivery and that disruption to the school community remained an important consideration throughout project planning.

d)    In response to questions regarding planning and design, officers confirmed that the DfE remained responsible for delivery of the rebuilding programme and that design development and planning processes continued to progress.

e)    Members highlighted the importance of sustainability and environmental considerations within school design. Officers advised that modern DfE design standards incorporated environmental performance and biodiversity requirements and that these would form part of the completed scheme.

RESOLVED to endorse the proposed decision, namely:

1) APPROVE the allocation of £1.4m from the Schools Basic Need Capital Programme to provide 2FE core facilities at Water Meadows Primary School as part of the DfE Schools Rebuild Programme of the 1FE School;

2) DELEGATE authority to the Director of Infrastructure to take relevant actions including but not limited to negotiating, entering and finalising the terms of relevant contracts, contract variations or other legal agreements as required to implement the decision; and

3) AGREE for the Director of Infrastructure, to be the nominated Authority Representative within the relevant agreements, with authority to enter variations as envisaged under the contracts.