Agenda item

(Item B – report by Mrs Sarah Hohler, Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education Directorate and Ms Rosalind Turner, Managing Director (Mr Grahame Ward, Director of Resources, CFE and Rebecca Spore, Head of BSF, PFI and Academies Team were present for this item)

(i)         KCC is at the forefront of local authorities developing Academies to provide the opportunity and resources to transform the life chances of disadvantaged communities, delivering a new learning infrastructure, enhanced curriculum opportunities and key skills for life and work.  In continuing this work this

expressions of Interest had been submitted to and approved by the DCSF to establish the following schools which would form the Batch 2 Academies project:

·        Skinners’ Kent Academy, Tunbridge Wells.

·        Knole Academy, Sevenoaks

·        Christchurch  Academy, Dover

·        Duke of York Royal Military Academy, Dover

·        John Wallis Church of England Academy, Ashford.

·        Astor of Hever, Maidstone

(ii)        During the course of discussion Mr Carter said he supported the concept of Academies and wanted to see them playing an integrated part of providing a successful mixed economy of education across the county.  Mr Ward said in relation to the Duke of York Academy that the County Council’s Capital Programme made no provision for the development costs so the Council was positively looking for those to be provided for by the Government. Cabinet placed on record the fact that the Council would not itself be in a position to pay for any of the capital costs associated with the development of the Duke of York Academy.

Cabinet resolved:

(i)         to agree to  the submission of the Outline Business Case (OBC) for the Skinners Academy  to the DCSF and Partnerships for Schools (PFS)  based on the affordability parameters set out in the Cabinet report and upon approval of the OBC  to undertake a mini competition to appoint a contractor from the National Framework to deliver the Batch 2 Academies.

(ii)        to delegate authority to the Director of Capital Programme and Infrastructure, CFE and the Head of the BSF team, CFE in consultation with the Cabinet Member for CFE, the Managing Director of CFE and the Leader to proceed with the mini competition as described in the Cabinet report, including entering into necessary documents with PfS to enable access to the PFS National Framework within the affordability parameters set out within the report.

(iii)       to note that a recommendation would  be made to Cabinet as to the appointment of the Preferred Bidder and final confirmation will be sought to submit the Final Business Case, the affordability position and to proceed to contract award in respect of the Batch 2 Procurement and the Skinners Academy. Regular progress updates will be made to the BSF, PFI and Academies Programme Board.

(iv)       to note in relation to the Duke of York Academy that the County Council’s Capital Programme made no provision for the development costs so the County Council was positively looking for those to be provided for by the Government. Should the Government not meet those costs then the Council would not itself be in a position to proceed with the development of the Duke of York Academy.