Minutes:
Report by Mrs Sarah Hohler, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education and Ms Rosalind Turner, Managing Director Children, Families and Education). (Mr Grahame Ward, Director Resources for Children, Families and Education was present for this item).
The following is an unrestricted minute of a report which was exempt under Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.
1. This report sought approval to continue with the development of Kent’s Wave 4 Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Project through the submission of the Wave 4 Outline Business Case and the development of projects by the Kent Local Education Partnership 1 through the New Project Approval Process. The report also gave an update on other Waves within the BSF Programmes.
2. With regard to Wave 3, the approved Programme equated to 36 schools spread over 3 waves of the national Building Schools for the Future Programme including one academy. Construction of the first ten school buildings under Wave 3 commenced in October 2008 and the feedback to date from the schools had been positive and the performance of the contractors was good.
3. The report updated Cabinet with regard to Wave 4 and outlined progress to date. The report detailed the decisions that the County Council would need to take over the coming months in order for this Wave to progress and for Kent to benefit from the investment in the education estate and the resulting improvement in the quality of teaching and learning. At this stage there were no contractual commitments just an intent to deliver Wave 4 and a recognition of the final contribution that the County Council would need to make. The report also set out the key approval dates in relation to Wave 4 culminating in approval being sought for the submission of the final business case to Government and approval to enter into contracts in October 2010. In the meantime there would be regular reports and updates through the New Project Approval Process to the BSF, PFI and Academies Programme Board.
4. The report also updated Cabinet on the development of Wave 5 through the Strategy for Change. Work continued on the development of the Strategy for Change Part 2, Outline Business Case for Wave 5 and pre-procurement preparation and this included the development of two proposed academies in the Wave 5 Area. In relation to Wave 6, the Secondary Transformation Team had been actively engaged with Swale Headteachers in the development of a draft Strategy for Change Part 1 document which was currently under preparation. Following the finalisation of the Strategy for Change, the Strategy for Change Part 2 and Outline Business Case would be developed with further updates being brought to Cabinet for approval to submit the Wave 5 Outline Business Case and the affordability parameters.
5. Following further discussion Cabinet agreed as follows:-
(i) to note the changes in current progress in respect of Wave 3 and the Trillium/Telereal Partnership Changes;
(ii) agreement be given to the submission of the Wave 4 Outline Business Case to the DCSF and Partnerships for Schools and to issue the schemes to the Kent Local Education Partnership 1 so these could be developed via the New Project Approval Process;
(iii) authority be delegated to the Director of Resources (CFE) and to the Head of PFI/PPP (CFE) in consultation with the Leader of the Council, the Cabinet Member for Children Families and Education and the Managing Director for Children Families and Education to proceed with the New Project Approval Process (stages 1, 2A and 2B) and to finalise contractual terms up to contract award within the affordability parameters as set out in the Cabinet report;
(iv) it be noted that final approval would be sought prior to the submission of the Final Business Case and the affordability position;
(v) authority be given to the Director of Resources (CFE) to proceed to contract award in respect of the Wave 4 at the end of stage 2B with regular progress reports being submitted to the BSF Programme Board; and
(vi) the progress in respect of Waves 5 and 6 be noted.