To receive and approve the recommendation of the Building Schools for the Future Project Board to award the design and build contract for the above scheme to Stepnell Limited.

THAT the recommendation of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Project Board, to award the design and build contract, for the Minster College Building Schools for the Future One School Pathfinder scheme, to Stepnell Limited, is approved.

The award of the contract will allow the authority to deliver The Minster BSF One School Pathfinder design and build project. 

It is in the Council’s discretion not to proceed with the scheme. However, this would leave the College in very poor accommodation, with high maintenance and running costs and in a poor position to improve performance. Given the recent discussion over pupil numbers and school capacity, a smaller school could be built. This would require some redesign work and delay the scheme, risking further inflation on building costs. The Whitecross High School experience does provide evidence that new buildings do attract more students. The additional housing allocated under the current UDP to 2025 should also be borne in mind.

At this stage there are no reasons to make any changes to the project.

No public consultation is appropriate as this is a commercial decision, however consultation and involvement is critical to the success of the development of the school and will be carried out during the design, development and planning stages.