Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
School Place Planning Capital Release Request - Eden Trust schools, Grangewood School and Moorcroft School
Report Document
Can't see the PDF? Download Report
Decision / Minutes Document
Can't see the PDF? Download Minutes
Text extracted from PDFs
View Report Text
Democratic Services Location: Phase II Ext: 0420 DDI: 01895 250420 CMD No: 562 To: COUNCILLOR SUSAN O’BRIEN CABINET MEMBER FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES & EDUCATION COUNCILLOR MARTIN GODDARD CABINET MEMBER FOR FINANCE c.c. All Councillors c.c. All Members of th e Children, Families and Education Select Committee c.c. Nav Minhas, Education & SEND Directorate c.c. Vikram Hansrani, Executive Director of Education and SEND Date: 05 August 2022 Non-Key Decision request Form D CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (August 2022) DEPARTMENT: Education & SEND SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: School Place Planning - Eden Trust schools, Grangewood School and Moorcroft School RELEASE NO: n/a Dear Cabinet Members Attached is a report requesting that a decision be made by you as an individual Cabinet Member. Democratic Services confirm that this is not a key decision, as such, the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 notice period does not apply. You should take a decision on or after Monday 15 August 2022 in order to meet Constitutional requirements about publication of decisions that are to be made. You may wish to discuss the report with the Corporate Director before it is made. Please indicate your decision on the duplicate memo supplied, and return it to me when you have made your decision. I will then arrange for the formal notice of decision to be published. James Jones Democratic Services Officer Title of Report: School Place Planning Capital Release Request - Eden Trust schools, Grangewood School and Moorcroft School Decision made: Reasons for your decision: (e.g. as stated in report) Alternatives considered and rejected: (e.g. as stated in report) Signed ………………………………………………………Date…………………….. Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education /Cabinet Member for Finance Capital Release Report – 05/08/2022 Page 1 (Part 1 - Public) CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (August 2022) DEPARTMENT: Education & SEND SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: School Place Planning - Eden Trust schools, Grangewood School and Moorcroft School RELEASE NO: n/a Cabinet Members Councillor Martin Goddard Councillor Susan O’Brien Cabinet Portfolios Cabinet Member for Finance Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education Officer Contact Nav Minhas, Education & SEND Papers with report Appendix A with capital release requests for approval HEADLINES Summary To seek Cabinet Member approval for the release of capital funds. Putting our Residents First This report supports the Council objective of strong financial management. Financial Cost This report seeks the release of £728,157 from the 2022/23 Schools SRP/SEND capital programme budget for the adaptions for the temporary unit at Pinkwell Primary School for pupils on roll at Grangewood and Moorcroft. The works will commence upon release of the funds and are due for completion by September 2022. Relevant Select Committee Children, Families and Education Select Committee Wards affected All RECOMMENDATIONS That the Cabinet Member for Finance and Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education agree to the following capital release request of £7 28,157 from the Schools SRP/SEND capital programme budget. This is in respect of funding of costs to the Elliot Foundation for internal adaptions to accommodate pupils from the Eden Trust schools; Grangewood School and Moorcroft School. Capital Release Report – 05/08/2022 Page 1 (Part 1 - Public) Reasons for recommendation To ensure that we have provision in places for 40 pupils that will be on roll at Grangewood and Moorcroft in September 2022. This Capital Release requests the release of funds for these adaptions. Alternative options considered These works were required to ensure that the Council can deliver on one of the projects proposed as part of the deficit recovery plan. Select Committee comments None at this stage. SUPPORTING INFORMATION Extra specialist places are needed in Hillingdon in the next few years to meet the rising demand and gaps in need and to minimise use of independent provision and long travel for residents. The aim is to maximise the use of local education spaces and promote integration of pupils into mainstream where possible. Following discussions, new projects were selected that can be delivered in partnership with schools and academies that have surplus physical capacity and have commitment to inclusion and expertise in managing change. A new bid for additional capital grant was made in March 2022 to deliver the projects , including the one at Pinkwell P rimary School in the D evolved School Grant (DSG) Deficit Recovery Programme. The Council was successful in this bid and the Department for Education (DfE) have agreed to provide the full capital request as per the submission on the 18 March 2022. Pinkwell Primary is part of the Elliot Foundation Academies Trust and has seen a decline in roll which has led to a PAN reduction from 150 to 90, taking effect from September 2021 resulting in the school buildings now having significant empty spaces. A proposal in the deficit recovery plan was to create a new provision at Pinkwell Primary as a satellite of Grangewood School (primary) & Moorcroft School (secondary) to take in new Reception & Year 7 pupils ahead of Pinn River & Grand Union Village’s delayed opening in 2024. This would create capacity for 16 and 24 places for pupils on the roll of Grangewood School and Moorcroft School respectively. As Pinkwell Primary , Grangewood and Moorcroft are part of Multi Academy Trusts, they are leading on the internal adaptions on site to be able to accommodate pupils. It was agreed that the Elliot Foundation Academies Trust will manage the building adaptions necessary to meet the physical, therapy and learning needs of the pupils. The London Borough of Hillingdon will fund the works for adaptions. Capital Release Report – 05/08/2022 Page 1 (Part 1 - Public) Projects Costs £'000 Construction Works (Adaptations/remodelling, fencing & toilets) 455,830 Consultancy Fees (set up costs) 43,000 ICT 73,005 FF& E 21,322 Soft Surface – External Area - Allowance 60,000 Project contingency 75,000 Total 728,157 The above cost estimate has been provided by the Elliot Trust with the allowance for the soft surface provided by colleagues in the Capital Programmes Team. The anticipated contract period is 8 weeks on site with work starting in July 2022 to complete by start of term in September 2022. Financial Implications Schools SRP Revised Budget including prior years £55,595k, Previously Released £6,438k, Capital Release Requested £728k – Appendix A Including prior years, the Schools SRP capital programme amounts to £55,595k funding from 2018/19 to 2026/27, financed by Special Provision Capital Fund and High Needs Provision Capital grants of which confirmed grant funding from 2018-2024 amounts to £25,331k. This is inclusive of recent confirmation from the Department for Education (DfE) that the Council’s bid was successful for £6,962k additional High Needs capital funding linked to the DSG deficit recovery safety valve agreement. The bid submitted to the DfE included the adaptation works at Pinkwell primary school which will provide 40 additional SEND places and utilise available space at the school where there has been a reduction in pupil numbers. The works are being carried out by Elliot Foundation Academies Trust which includes Pinkwell primary school as one of its academies. The project cost estimate of £728k was provided by the trust, with the exception of the soft surfacing costed internally, and is able to be financed from the High Needs grant award. Following capital release approval of the £728k funding, payment s will be made to Elliot Foundation Academies Trust in stages to cover project costs, which will be evidenced by invoices and supporting documentation to be provided by the Trust . The project estimate includes a contingency of £75k to manage cost risks arising during the project. The Trust have tendered the works which are planned to be completed for start of term in September 2022. The provision of 40 special needs places through this scheme will support delivery of the DSG recovery plan. Each additional place provided in the Borough is estimated to achieve an average saving of £24k from reducing use of more expensive independent out of Borough placements and £11k reductions in SEN transport costs. Capital Release Report – 05/08/2022 Page 1 (Part 1 - Public) RESIDENT BENEFIT & CONSULTATION The benefit or impact upon residents, service users and communities? The temporary provision that is outlined within the document is to meet the extra pressure on places posed by the delay to 2024 in opening the permanent new Eden free schools at both the Grand Union Village and Pinn River sites. This is also critical in supporting the London Borough of Hillingdon’s DSG safety valve agreement with the Department for Education (DfE) where there is a significant focus on the development of local, specialist places. Consultation carried out or required As a MAT, the Eden Academy Trust carried out a formal consultation which was positive . A business case was submitted by Eden with a letter of support from the LA which was agreed by the DfE. CORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS Corporate Finance Corporate finance notes the above financial implications, confirming that the Pinkwell primary school adaptations project was included in the list of projects submitted in a successful bid to the Department for Education for additional High Needs capital grant, linked to the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficit recovery safety valve agreement . This project therefore supports the Council’s DSG Recovery Plan which has been developed to eliminate the structural deficit on the Schools Budget by 2025/26. Legal The Borough Solicitor confirms that the Council is responsible for carrying out this function pursuant to Section 16 of the Education Act 1996. Thus, there are no legal impediments to the capital release being authorised, although any contract that is entered into must comply with the Council's Procurement and Contract Standing Orders. Infrastructure / Asset Management Where the capital release has implications for asset / property matters, please consult Asset Management Capital Release Protocol The release of all capital funds, and certain revenue funds, held by the Council is to be made by a formal democratic decision. No expenditure can be placed or committed by officers until this formal approval is given by Democratic Services. Release of funds must be for identified Capital Release Report – 05/08/2022 Page 1 (Part 1 - Public) projects only and strictly not for the general release of funds for projects to be identified at a later date. No block releases of capital or funding will be allowed, except if authorised by the Leader of the Council in advance to Corporate Finance. The release of funds will only be made if previous Council, Cabinet or Cabinet Member agreement has been given to the project and only if there is an approved budget. BACKGROUND PAPERS NIL Capital Release Report – 05/08/2022 Page 1 (Part 1 - Public) APPENDIX A Schools SRP/SEND Programme - Pinkwell Primary School Adaptations Location Project / Expenditure Title Information Funds Release Sought £000’s Approve Hold More Information Required Pinkwell Primary School Adaptation works for pupils from Eden Trust Schools Adaptation works and associated fees 728 Total seeking release 728 Previously released 6,438 Budget 55,595 Remaining budget 48,429
View Decision / Minutes Text
Executive Decision Notice – 17 August 2022 Page 1 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk OFFICIAL EXECUTIVE DECISION NOTICE PUBLISHED BY DEMOCRATIC SERVICES Notice is hereby given that the following decision(s) have been made today by Cabinet Members at the London Borough of Hillingdon: Title of decision CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (August 2022) DEPARTMENT: Education & SEND SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: School Place Planning - Eden Trust schools, Grangewood School and Moorcroft School RELEASE NO: n/a Reference No. 562 Date of decision Wednesday 17 August 2022 Call-in expiry date 5pm, Wednesday 24 August 2022 Relevant Select Committee Children, Families and Education Select Committee Relevant Wards All Decision made Cabinet Members making the decision Councillor Martin Goddard – Cabinet Member for Finance Councillor Councillor Susan O’Brien - Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education Approved That the Cabinet Member for Finance and Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education agree to the following capital release request of £72 8,157 from the Schools SRP/SEND capital programme budget. This is in respect of funding of costs to the Elliot Foundation for internal adaptions to accommodate pupils from the Eden Trust schools; Grangewood School and Moorcroft School. Reason for decision To ensure that we have provision in places for 40 pupils that will be on roll at Grangewood and Moorcroft in September 2022. This Capital Release requests the release of funds for these adaptions. Alternative options considered and rejected These works were required to ensure that the Council can deliver on one of the projects proposed as part of the deficit recovery plan. Classification Part 1 - Public Executive Decision Notice – 17 August 2022 Page 2 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk Link to associated report Link to report – here. Relevant Officer contact & Directorate Nav Minhas, Education & SEND Any interest declared by the Cabinet Member(s) / dispensation granted N/A Implementation of decision & scrutiny call-in [Internal Use only] When can this decision be implemented by officers? Officers can implement Cabinet Member decision in this notice only from the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period which is: 5pm, Wednesday 24 August 2022 However, this is subject to the decision not being called in by Councillors on the relevant Select Committee. Upon receipt of a valid call-in request, Democratic Services will immediately advise the relevant officer(s) and the decision must then be put on hold. Councillor scrutiny call-in of this decision Councillors on the relevant Select Committee shown in this notice may request to call-in this decision. The request must be before the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period above. Councillors should use the Scrutiny Call-in App (link below) on their devices to initiate any call-in request. Further advice can be sought from Democratic Services if required: Scrutiny Call-In - Power Apps (secure) Further information These decisions, where applicable, have been taken under The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012. This is the formal notice by the Council of the above executive decision, including links to the reports where applicable. If you would like more information on this decision, please contact Democratic Services on 01895 250636 or email: democratic@hillingdon.gov.uk. Circulation of this decision notice is to a variety of people including Members of the Council, Corporate Directors, Officers, Group Secretariats and the Public. Copies are also placed on the Council’s website. Executive Decision Notice – 17 August 2022 Page 3 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk Democratic Services London Borough of Hillingdon Civic Centre High Street Uxbridge UB8 1UW