Issue details

Proposed decision – That the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, be asked to:

1) APPROVE an additional £400,000 from the Children’s, Young People and Education Modernisation Capital Programme to enable the replacement of mobile buildings at Dover Grammar School for Girls.

2) DELEGATE authority to the Director of Infrastructure in consultation with the Director of Education and SEND, Head of Law (or other officer with delegated authority) to enter into any negotiations, and contracts, contract variations or other legal agreements, as required, to implement the decision

3) DELEGATE authority to the Director of Infrastructure to be the nominated Authority Representative within the relevant contractual agreements and to enter into such variations as envisaged under any of these contracts.

Reason for the decision

Decision 26/00001 approved £1,400,000 to replace two mobiles at Dover Grammar School for Girls.  Since approval, project costs have increased, resulting in a funding shortfall. An additional £400,000 is now  required to enable delivery of the project.

Background

KCC has a mobile refurbishment/replacement programme as part of the modernisation programme. The condition of each mobile building on a maintained school site has been assessed. From the assessment, two mobile blocks at Dover Grammar School for Girls have been identified as needing replacement in the next 12 months.

Decision 26/00001 approved £1,400,000 to replace these mobiles.

Since the decision was made, planning permission has been secured and a contractor has been appointed to finalise the design. However, Kent Fire and Rescue Services (KFRS), who are a key consultee, have raised a concern about access for a fire tender to the location of the mobile replacement should there be a fire.

As a fire tender cannot get within 40 meters of the building, KFRS are expecting that a system is put in place to limit fire spread across the site. This decision is not driven solely by a life safety (“people first”) evacuation approach. This means that systems such as sprinklers are being required to protect the building as well as control fire propagation. KFRS are a consultee to the Building Control Officer, and Building Control approval cannot be granted unless these issue are resolved.

KFRS are a consultee for the appointed Building Control Inspector, their approval is a requirement to achieve final Building Control approval for the building. The additional £400,000 requested will be required to cover the costs of the sprinkler system, including the tank and will increase the contingency, should this be required.

Options (other options considered but discarded)

Refurbishing the mobile units has again been considered and rejected. The condition of the buildings is such that refurbishment works would not provide good value for money, even with the increased capital costs being requested.

At feasibility stage other locations for the new building were explored and rejected.  These have been reconsidered, but again rejected:

·           to replace the existing mobiles - replacing the Music Mobile would be cost prohibitive due to significant works required to a retaining wall. Additionally, the sprinkler system would still be required for the second mobile class block.

·           the boundary edge - although this would mitigate the requirement for the sprinkler system, it would require a two storey structure with a lift, additional access works and as a number of mature trees would need to be removed, significant bio net gain would have to be planned for. Additionally, a new planning application would be required. No savings would be made.

The option of doing nothing remains discarded. The current buildings are life-expired and the space they provide is required by the school.

How the proposed decision supports the Council’s Strategic Statement

The proposal supports the following:

Aim 2 objective 2 in that the rebuilding of the mobile classrooms with fit for purpose facility is a responsibility expected by, and is in the best interest of Kent residents.

Aim 2 objective 2 in that this proposal is part of a strictly managed capital programme.