To approve, for submission to the Secretary of State, the Outline Business Case for Wyebridge Sports College to become an Academy; and to authorise other necessary steps including the appointment of consultants to implement the project.

THAT  (a)        the draft Outline Business Case for the creation of an Academy at Wyebridge Sports College be approved for submission to the Secretary of State, on the strict understanding that all capital costs associated with the project are met from within DCSF grant (£21,939,195) and that the Academy will be funded after the initial start up period on the same basis of other schools in the county;

(b)               the relocation of a temporary unit on the Wyebridge site as an alternative provision for Redhill Residents Association be approved in principle, subject to a successful bid being made to the capital programme to secure the necessary funding, estimated at £80,000;

(c)               the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Council & Partnership for Schools be authorised, thereby agreeing the use of the National Academy Framework for the procurement of the construction of the buildings be approved; and

(d)               the engagement of Navigant Consultants to implement the next stage of the project at the cost of £107,000 be approved.

(a)               To make progress with the academy project, the Local Authority has to submit the Outline Business Case to the Secretary of State for his approval;

(b)               Sole use space has not been offered to any third party user within the new academy building. Alternative solutions are therefore proposed.

(c)               The Memorandum of Understanding commits the authority to use the National Consultants and Contractors Framework for the procurement of the new building. The Head of Asset Management and Property Services and the Strategic Procurement & Efficiency Review Manager judge this to be the most sensible way forward. The alternative requires dispensation from Partnerships for Schools, and the Council publishing OJEU notices in a separate procurement process which would incur additional cost and add to the timeframe;

(d)               As part of the National Framework there is an approved list of consultants, as well as contractors, with agreed rates of engagement. Navigant Consultants is on this list, and was selected in the light of their experience locally.

The Local Authority could withdraw its support for the Academy proposal as a whole. This would jeopardise the very real achievement that Wyebridge Sports College has made in recent years and leave the future of high school provision in the South Wye area uncertain.