Cabinet to approve the provision of a new build replacement school for Staunton on Wye. 

THAT  Cabinet supports the Governors’ project to provide a new school building for 70 pupils in Staunton on Wye.

In 2000 the Department for Children, Schools and Families (then DfES) made a grant available to the Trustee Governors of this aided school to meet 90% of the net costs of new accommodation. This grant is dependent on the Local Authority supporting the scheme. The Department for Children, Schools and Families require an explicit expression of support from the Local Authority before 31 March 2008. Otherwise they will withdraw their offer, and place the resources back into the national fund used to fund aided schools across the country.

If the Cabinet does not make clear a decision to support the project to provide new accommodation before 31 March 2008, the DCSF will withdraw the funding on offer.

The alternative option is to maintain the school in its existing building, but this does not provide accommodation fit for 21^st Century teaching and learning, and would require high levels of maintenance monies, and continuing monitoring of the health and safety situation