The council is responsible for a school estate, valued at over £130m.  With changes to traditional funding mechanisms it is important that the council develops a strategic approach to investment.  The committee will receive a presentation outlining the context and will be asked for their views on how to take the work forward, including the development of a set of principles.

The Head of Educational Development gave a presentation on the Education Capital Investment Strategy.  The principal points of the presentation and related discussion are summarised under the slide headings below.

Herefordshire’s Education Strategy

1.       Part of the strategy was ‘establishing a coherent case for capital investment from whichever funding source’.

2.       A breakdown was provided of the different types of educational establishments and pupil numbers.

3.       Questions within the presentation included:

•        With more autonomous schools how is renewal coordinated?

•        Are school buildings supporting improved outcomes?

•        What evidence / documentation have we to support requests for more capital resources?

•        Has the Local Authority (LA) got the places in the right place so parents can exercise choice?

•        How does the LA show it is fulfilling the statutory duty to provide sufficient school places?

•        How can ‘another Colwall’ be avoided?

What is the Education Capital Investment Strategy trying to achieve?

4.       It was intended to be a clear strategy to set out, over the next 5-20 years and beyond, how the council:

•        Supports the delivery of the best outcomes for children and young people

•        Fulfils its duty to supply enough high quality schools places

•        Ensures its schools are fit for purpose and energy efficient

•        Offers funding models

•        Supports/suggests the approach to managing change/development

5.       It was emphasised that it would not be a blueprint but it would provide a framework and set of criteria, reflecting shared understanding and respecting local situations.

Support of high quality places

6.       The following points were identified:

•        Most parents/carers get their first choice

•        Population not set to change significantly

•        Need to plan for housing development and when it gets built

•        Academies can admit more than their planned admission numbers

•        Currently have surplus places overall but some schools are under pressure and others have space

Fit for purpose and energy efficient

7.       Considerations included:

•        Suitability - number and size of classrooms and hall, overall plot size

•        Repair or replacement - toilets/roof/heating/windows/brickwork

•        Disability access

•        Energy efficiency

•        Location proximity to a population centre

8.       It was commented that, for various reasons, the authority wanted to move towards a more modern estate.

School Education Capital Investment July 2015

9.       It was noted that a range of stakeholders would be engaged to inform the strategy and to move forward collectively for the purposes of: improved outcomes; opportunities to lever in external funding; and efficient and effective use of resources.

Some tricky issues

10.     These were identified as: managing change; funding; school size - quality of learning and viability; expansion of high quality popular schools; and future technology implications.

11.     In response to a question from the Chairman, the Head of Educational Development advised that every LA maintained school had a school condition survey and, as part of the strategy, officers were looking closely at management information; it was noted that any change needed to be based on accurate and detailed information and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64