Agenda item

a.  That the progress made with creating a new school from the Old Town Hall be noted.

b.   That the funding for the project to be £2.89M be agreed.

The Cabinet was provided with an update on the progress made on the Town Hall Conversion and Refurbishment project, following its meeting of 19^th September, at which it agreed a final contract value with Mansell Construction Services Ltd of up to 2.4m.  The Cabinet was advised that an estimated £490k would also be required to cover furniture costs, site preparation costs, highway works, kitchen equipment, IT hardware and management fees.  Officers informed the Cabinet that work to develop the school had begun three weeks beforehand and it was anticipated that previously agreed deadlines would be met.

Members welcomed the progress made and questioned whether any public events had been organised to ‘showcase’ the school.  Members were advised that due to the tight timescales within which the development was to be carried out, it would be unlikely that members of the public could be invited into the Town Hall School itself before its opening.  Claycotts Community School would be holding a number of open evenings for potential parents at which the Town Hall School would be publicised. 

Resolved -

(a)  That the progress made with creating a new school from the Old Town Hall be noted.

(b)    That the funding for the project to be £2.89M be agreed.