For Cabinet to recommend to Council that provision be made in the capital programme for  additional  capital funding to support the relocation of Broadlands primary school and children’s centre onto the Aylestone Business and Enterprise College (ABEC) site and to provide Cabinet with an update on the business case approved by Cabinet in November 2014.

The assistant director, education and commissioning, presented the report and reminded cabinet of an earlier report that was presented on 13 November 2014. The report related to two separate schools and early years provision which faced significant capital spend requirements and surplus places if they remained in situ. The scheme moves provision to one site with revised costs. This would provide high quality provision and a new primary school, and represented a forerunner for other projects in the school capital investment strategy.

The chair of the general overview and scrutiny committee commented on apparent mismeasurement and miscalculation connected with the scheme and asked for explanation.  The head of educational development explained that the projected costs were investigated and were greater once more detailed work took place on the scheme, although it still represented best value for the council.

The Cabinet Member for young people and children’s wellbeing emphasised the importance of moving forward with the scheme to consolidate assets, and pointed out the significantly higher cost of building from new. It was important to now look at what had been achieved with the scheme and how this would influence how future projects would develop within the strategy. 

The chair of the general overview and scrutiny committee commended the report.

The group leader of It’s Our County (IOC) expressed concern regarding the process followed for getting the scheme to this stage and that contract design and management of this scheme highlighted the value in doing this well.

The Leader commented on the need to ensure all facts and best deals were gathered and there were other previous contracts which highlighted this.

The Cabinet member for economy and corporate services commented on the process followed for developing this scheme given the limited capital funds for schools. 

The group leader of Herefordshire Independents welcomed the scheme and observed that it created an environment which supported children to make an easier transition from primary to secondary education. In answer to his enquiry regarding the future of the vacated site, it was clarified that it would be included in capital estates.

Commenting on the identification of risk, the director for children’s wellbeing reminded cabinet of the element of risk associated with large scale projects, which had been identified and reported at the outset and of the benefits and outcomes that this scheme would bring for schools and for children. 

The Leader commented on the value of learning from all schemes. 

RESOLVED

That   

(a)        the impact of the reduced estimated value of the land which will reduce the anticipated contribution to corporate resources, as set out at paragraph 9 of the report be noted; and

(b)       it be recommended to Council that an additional £250k of funding be approved to relocate Broadlands primary school onto the Aylestone Business and Enterprise College (ABEC) site.