Agenda item

(i)  That the reduced refurbishment scheme be approved (up to £3m)

(ii)  That if external funding becomes available up to a further £0.5m be allocated to the scheme.

(iii)  That  any additional expenditure over and above £3.5m be brought back to Cabinet

The Cabinet considered a report on the refurbishment of the former Lea Junior School building.  As part of the Council’s 2008 Capital Building process £3m was approved to refurbish the building to create a new two form entry primary school.  The budget estimate was based on the initial feasibility study and since then a more detailed study of the building together with  the developed brief by the Council had put the full project cost at £4.5m.  Work had been ongoing with the architects to remove non-essential items from the scheme to arrive at a project that was within the budget envelope available.  A scheme of essential only work had emerged for £2.96m and a summary of the excluded items and cost summary was attached to the report. 

The Commissioner for Education and Children’s Services stressed that the £2.9m scheme was purely for essential work.  She also advised that the DCSF had indicated that they would require competition for the establishment of a new school and this would delay the opening of any school on the site.  The authority would be making representations to the Department over this.  In addition to the scheme for £2.96m a second project that would also include necessary items had been costed at £3.575m. 

The report set out current advice from the Government  with regard to the likelihood of approval for the request to open a new School and that there were issues with land ownership and potential time delays associated with the proposals.  As a result of this alternative models were also being explored which would see the refurbished building form part of the existing school leading to a school based on two sites.  Members were advised that a  further paper would be brought back to the Cabinet to decide the preferred route for creating the new school places.  Whilst there was uncertainty regarding the final status and opening dates of the new school on this site, in order that the new places were available for September 2010, irrespective of the future status the procurement of the building, works needed to proceed without delay. 

Members raised a number of issues during the debate including:

·  What the Authority was doing about the pressure on school places.  The Director was advised that due to the pressure on places in Reception years three bulge classes had had to be provided by the end of July.  Following this 40 more parents had come forward with children in need of reception places and 40 more year one places.  Work was ongoing to see whether further bulge classes could be planned for January 2010.  The Director confirmed that the bulge in primary places was almost entirely down to Slough residents. 

·  A Member present under Rule 30 asked for information with regard to forms of entry and safety of pupils with regard to asbestos as no survey was to be undertaken.  The Director advised that the final size of the school would depend on additional money from DCSF and that measures to protect pupils from any asbestos danger would need to be built into the plans for the building. 

Members of the Cabinet agreed that authority should be delegated to the Director of Education and Children’s Services and appropriate Commissioner to progress this.  It was agreed that the reduced refurbishment scheme be approved (up to £3m) and that if additional external funding was identified/available up to a further £0.5m be allocated to the scheme but any expenditure beyond this be brought back to the Cabinet for decision.

Resolved –

(a)  That the reduced refurbishment scheme be approved (up to £3m).

(b)  That if external funding becomes available up to a further £0.5m be allocated to the scheme.

(c)  That  any additional expenditure over and above £3.5m be brought back to Cabinet