Issue details

Proposed decision:

The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills to:

1.    Authorise the allocation of an additional £2,063,000, thus creating a revised project budget of £16,963,000 from the Basic Need capital budget for the expansion of Rosherville Church of England Academy, London Road, Northfleet, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 9JQ, increasing the Published Admission Number (PAN) from 20 places per year group to 60 places per year group, facilitated by a relocation onto a new site on Crete Hall Road, Northfleet, DA11 9AA.

2.    Delegate authority to the Director of Infrastructure to, in consultation with the Director of Education, enter into any necessary contracts or other legal agreements, as required to implement this 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.

Reason for the decision

On 6 March 2004, through Decision number 24/00019, the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills agreed the funding for the proposal based on robust cost estimates provided at that time. 

This proposal has experienced several significant challenges due to the transfer of the land for the school site.  Additional costs have now been notified to the Assistant Director North Kent, Ian Watts, that require a decision to be made

Background

Gravesham Borough’s population is increasing with more families moving into the area and as a result, Kent County Council needs to add additional primary school places to manage the increase in demand. One strategy for providing additional school places is to expand existing successful and popular schools.

The proposal addresses two issues.  That of increasing the primary provision in the Northfleet area and providing Rosherville Church of England Academy with a new site and modern buildings, within the Cable Wharf development, but less than 200 metres from the existing school site.  This issue has been mentioned in previous Kent Commissioning Plans for a number of years.

Rosherville Church of England Academy is a small 20 PAN primary school, sited on a challenging site on top of a quarry cliff.  The site is unsuitable for several reasons.  It is restricted by topography on the south and east boundaries, and by the B2175 (London Road) to the north. 

A Section 106 land transfer agreement with Keepmoat Homes Ltd (the developer), entered on 20th March 2019, was completed on 21st October 2024 following protracted and complex negotiations with the developer. 

The Funding for this project was granted under Record of Decision 24-00019. Costs were calculated prior to tender submission as a result of the urgency with which the contract was being entered. Department of Education Output Specification has resulted in a measure of cost uplift, and other cost pressures have been identified.

The Predicted Overspend, including KCC contingency, is assessed as being £2,062,923.

Securing Kent’s Future

The 'Securing Kent's Future' strategy outlines the measures that KCC intend to take to ensure that Kent remains financially stable, now and long into the future.  It describes the statutory priorities, one of which being the statutory duty to ensure sufficient school places are available to any child or young person who requires one.  This duty applies to Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision, as well as mainstream settings.

This proposal is necessary for KCC to continue to deliver the statutory duty, in a cost-effective way, in line with the guidelines described in the Securing Kent's Future strategy. It will help to maintain KCC’s strategic role in supporting schools in Kent to deliver accessible, high quality education provision for all families.

The County Council’s Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent 2024-28 is a five-year rolling plan which is updated annually.  It sets out KCC’s future plans as Strategic Commissioner of Education Provision across all types and phases of education in Kent. A copy of the latest plan can be viewed from this link: https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/education-provision/education-provision-plan

Financial Implications

Capital

Funding for this project was granted under Record of Decision 24-00019. Costs were calculated prior to tender submission as a result of the urgency with which the contract was being entered. Department of Education Output Specification has resulted in a measure of cost uplift, and other cost pressures have been identified.

·           Record of Decision 24-00019 £14,900,000

·           Forecast project cost @ 29/10/2024 £16,962,923

·           Predicted Overspend, including KCC contingency £2,062,923

An allowance of up to £2,500 may be payable to the school, to outfit each new teaching room with appropriate ICT equipment, such as touch screens or projection equipment.  This will be met from the overall Capital allocation for this project.

Should the scheme not proceed through to completion, any costs incurred at the time of cessation would become abortive costs and are likely to be recharged to Revenue. This would be reported through the regular financial monitoring reports to Cabinet.

Revenue

£6,000 per newly provided learning space, would be provided towards the cost of furniture and equipment.  This would be provided to the school to purchase required equipment.  The school would receive funding for the additional pupils that it admits in line with the funding allocated to schools through KCC’s Schools Funding Formula.

Human

The school will appoint additional staff as required; utilising revenue funding allocated through the Schools Funding Formula for these additional pupils.