Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
School Place Planning – Wood End Park Academy - RELEASE NO: 1
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Democratic Services
Location: Phase II
Ext: 7655
DDI: 01895 277655
CMD No: 675
To: COUNCILLOR MARTIN GODDARD
CABINET MEMBER FOR FINANCE
COUNCILLOR SUSAN O’BRIEN
CABINET MEMBER FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES
AND EDUCATION
c.c. All Members of th e Children, Families and
Education Select Committee
c.c. Babatunde Balogun - Education & SEND
Directorate
c.c. Vikram Hansrani – Executive Director,
Education & SEND
c.c. All Councillors
Date: 18 January 2023
Non-Key Decision request Form D
CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (January 2023)
DEPARTMENT: Education & SEND
SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: School Place Planning – Wood End Park Academy
RELEASE NO: 1
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 Thursday 26 January 2023 in order to meet
Constitutional requirements about publicati on 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.
Anisha Teji
Democratic Services Officer
Title of Report: School Place Planning – Wood End Park Academy RELEASE NO: 1
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 Finance / Cabinet Member for Children, Families And Education
Capital Release Report –18 January 2023
Part 1 - Public
CAPITAL RELEASE REPORT (January 2023)
DEPARTMENT: Education & SEND
SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: School Place Planning – Wood End Park Academy
RELEASE NO: 1
Cabinet Members Councillor Martin Goddard
Councillor Susan O’Brien
Cabinet Portfolios Cabinet Member for Finance
Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education
Officer Contact Babatunde Balogun, Education & SEND
Papers with report N/A
HEADLINES
Summary
To seek Cabinet Member approval for the release of capital funds.
Putting our
Residents First
Delivering on the
Council Strategy
2022-2026
This report supports our ambition for residents / the Council of:
An efficient, well-run, digital-enabled council working with partners
to deliver services to improve the lives of all our residents
This report supports our commitments to residents of:
Safe and Strong Communities
Putting our
Residents First
This report supports the Council objective of strong financial
management.
Financial Cost This report seeks the capital release of £ 116k from the 20 22/23
Wood End SEND Places Budget of £1,337k for the pre-construction
phase of the work to establish a new Autism Spectrum Disorder
(ASD) unit at Wood End Park Academy.
Relevant Select
Committee
Children, Families and Education Select Committee
Wards affected All
Capital Release Report –18 January 2023
Part 1 - Public
RECOMMENDATION
That the Cabinet Member for Finance and Cabinet Member for Children, Families and
Education agree to the following capital release request of £ 116,066 from the 20 22/23
Schools SRP/SEND capital programme budget for the pre-construction phase of the work
to establish a new Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) unit at Wood End Park Academy.
Reasons for recommendation
To ensure the continuation of the work to create a new ASD unit for 24 pupils at Wood End Park
Academy. This capital release requests the release of funds for the pre-construction phase of the
scheme.
Alternative options considered
The local authority agreed to provide funding for a scheme to create a 24 place ASD unit at Wood
End Park Academy and the delivery of project will be managed by The Park Federation Academy
Trust. The project is linked to the DSG Safety Valve Programme.
Select Committee comments
None at this stage.
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Wood End Park Academy is one of the schools included in the DSG Safety Val ve Programme;
its objective is to increase the number of SEND places within the Borough. The Academy Trust
and the Council have agreed to establish a 24 place ASD unit by adapting a standalone block on
the school site. The project is f ully funded by the l ocal authority and the Academy Trust is
responsible for delivering the project. The Academy Trust will incur the expenditure initially an d
will be reimbursed by the Council in phases as the scheme progresses.
The new ASD unit will open at the start of September 2023 Autumn term. The pre-construction
phase of the scheme commenced in September 202 2 and the building works is estimated to
complete in August 2023. The pre-construction cost is estimated as £ 116,066 and includes the
following costs:
Capital Release Report –18 January 2023
Part 1 - Public
Pre-construction phase Cost (£)
Architect 19,000
Contract Administration 11,000
Principal Designer 4,288
Structural Engineer 6,982
Mechanical and Electrical 7,076
Education Specialist 2,720
Asbestos Removal 35,000
Main water pipe replacement 30,000
Total 116,066
Wood End Park Academy Budget
Cost
Estimate
(£)
Previously
Requested
(£)
New
Request
(£)
Fees & Surveys 126,427 0 51,066
Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment 47,500 0 0
Construction & enabling works 1,011,420 0 65,000
Contingency 151,713 0 0
Total 1,337,060 0 116,066
The new Unit will include specialist classrooms, therapy spaces, sensory and calming room,
group rooms, staff room and an outdoor play space. There will be 24 places for pupils with ASD;
the students within the Unit will access all teaching sessions in the Unit to meet needs outlined in
their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Financial Implications
Wood End Park Academy SEND Revised Budget £1,337k, Previously Released £0k, Capital
Release Requested £116k – Appendix A
Including prior years, the Schools SRP capital programme amounts to £25,331k confirmed grant
funding from 2018/19 to 2023/24, financed by Special Provision Capital Fund and High Needs
Provision Capital grants. This is inclusive of confirmation earlier this year 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 programme consists of
nine schemes to deliver an additional 416 places in the Borough inclusive of 24 places at Wood
End Park Academy.
Within the overall funding envelope, there is an allocation of £1,337k in the SEND Places Budget
for the expansion of Wood End Park Academy to provide 24 places for pupils with ASD. This is
Capital Release Report –18 January 2023
Part 1 - Public
a school led project and the Council will be reimbursing the school in stages on receipt of invoices.
This report is seeking release of £116k for pre-construction phase costs such as design and
engineering fees and enabling works . The cost estimate has been supplied by the school.
Further release approval will be sought for the main construction works with the project expected
to be completed and places ready by September 2023.
The creation of new SEND provision in the B orough is critical to the delivery of the DSG Safety
Valve Agreement and DSG revenue savings through reducing out of borough special placements
and transport costs.
RESIDENT BENEFIT & CONSULTATION
The benefit or impact upon residents, service users and communities?
The 24 places created in the ASD unit are 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
Wood End Park Academy carried out a public consultation about establishing a new ASD unit on
school site from 9 September to 7 October 2022. The outcome of the consultation was positive.
CORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance concurs with the above financial implications, confirming that the proposed
works to provide 24 ASD places at Wood End Park Academy will be funded from the approved
Schools SEND/SRP capital programme, financed by Government grant with no impact on Council
resources. The Council has secured a Safety Valve agreement with the DfE which secures
Government support for the delivery of the Council’s DSG Recovery Programme and financial
support towards the elimination of the cumulative deficit. This project supports the recovery
programme.
Legal
Legal Services confirms that the Council is responsible for carrying out this function pursuant to
section 16 of the Education Act 1996. There are no legal impediments to the Council authorising
the capital release, although any contract awarded must comply with the Council's Pr ocurement
standing orders.
Capital Release Report –18 January 2023
Part 1 - Public
Infrastructure / Asset Management
The Estates Department confirms that progressing with the release of these funds to move
forward with this development does not conflict with any asset management plans nor impede on
any work that we are proposing to take place.
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 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 t o 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.
APPENDIX A
SEND Places Expansion / Wood End Park Academy / Budget £1,337k
(2022/23 to 2023/24)
Location
Project /
Expenditure
Title
Information
Funds
Release
Sought
£000’s
Approve Hold
More
Information
Required
Wood
End Park
Academy
SEND Places
Expansion
Preconstruction
phase 116
Total seeking release 116
Previously released 0
Budget 1,337
Remaining budget 1,221
View Decision / Minutes Text
Executive Decision Notice – 26 January 2023 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 (January 2023)
DEPARTMENT: Education & SEND
SERVICE AREA / PROGRAMME: School Place Planning –
Wood End Park Academy
RELEASE NO: 1
Reference No. 675
Date of decision Thursday 26 January 2023
Call-in expiry date Thursday 2 February 2023
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 Susan O’Brien – Cabinet Member for Children,
Families and Education
Approved
That the Cabinet Member for Finance and Cabinet Member
for Children, Families and Education agree d to the
following capital release request of £116,066 from the
2022/23 Schools SRP/SEND capital programme budget for
the pre-construction phase of the work to establish a new
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) unit at Wood End Park
Academy.
Reason for decision To ensure the continuation of the work to create a new ASD unit
for 24 pupils at Wood End Park Academy . This capital release
requests the release of funds for the pre-construction phase of
the scheme.
Alternative options
considered and
rejected
The local authority agreed to provide funding for a scheme to
create a 24 place ASD unit at Wood End Park Academy and the
delivery of project will be managed by The Park Federation
Academy Trust. The project is linked to the DSG Safety Valve
Programme.
Classification Part I – Public
Link to associated
report
Here.
Relevant Officer
contact & Directorate
Babatunde Balogun, Education & SEND
Executive Decision Notice – 26 January 2023 Page 2
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
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 on Thursday 2 February 2023
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.
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