To approve a capital scheme to support the federation of Aylestone Business and Enterprise College and Broadlands Primary school including co-location onto one site thus releasing a council asset for future disposal, avoiding long term maintenance costs and supporting a better use of school revenue funding. To also recommend to Council that provision be made in the capital programme to support this scheme.

THAT:

(a)  The relocation of Broadlands Primary School and Children’s Centre onto the    Aylestone Business and Enterprise College (ABEC) site be approved at a cost         of £1.007m ; and

(b)  It is recommended to council that provision of up to £1.007m is made in the       capital programme and;

The council is seeking to maximise the use of its assets. Investing in the relocation of the Broadlands Primary School onto the ABEC site would leave a vacant site which could, subject to Secretary of State approval, be sold.

ABEC and Broadlands Primary School require significant ongoing maintenance and repair work, which is costly for both the schools and the council. The schools have recently become federated and relocating onto one site would reduce the need for future expenditure. As single schools on separate sites both are incurring additional capital and revenue costs.

There is adequate space to accommodate both schools on the ABEC site but some building work is required to ensure suitable and safe learning environments.

The council has a duty to support schools delivering the highest quality provision which will bring about the best outcomes for children and young people. The newly federated governors and managers are very clear that the learning environment for the pupils needs improvement and this proposal supports this.   

There is no additional capital expenditure. This would result in ABEC and Broadlands continuing on their existing sites. Thus the opportunity to release the capital asset of the Broadlands site would be lost and additional significant maintenance would be needed over the next three years. ABEC and Broadlands, would incur additional revenue costs linked to running larger than necessary sites and the federation arrangements between the two schools more challenging. 

Spend in excess of £1.007m on capital works to make improvements at ABEC so it can accommodate Broadlands Primary School. The recommended capital expenditure provides sufficient resource to make suitable building changes so high quality provision can be made, without compromising any future options or change.  The council is embarking on a comprehensive review of the school estate, which is in need of significant investment and is due to report in 2015.  Without a clear agreed approach to investment in the whole school estate, spending beyond what is necessary may be considered inappropriate and deny opportunity to invest in different schemes. 

Spend less than £1.007m on capital works. There would not be sufficient investment to make the buildings suitable for accommodating the Broadlands pupils. 

Relocating ABEC on the Broadlands site. The site is not big enough.

Consider closing either or both of the schools. There is an identified need for the places the schools provide both now and projecting into the future.