Agenda item

(a)  That the former Milan Centre building be disposed to Littledown School under a standard Academy 125 lease to create at least 15 new SEN places.

(b)  That delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director, Assets Infrastructure & Regeneration to agree the final valuation sum following consultation with the Leader, the Commissioner for Education & Children and the Council’s section 151 officer.

(c)  That the Thomas Grey Centre be leased to Haybrook College to create additional capacity from September 2016 at a cost of £35K per annum for 3 years until a permanent solution is built;

(d)  That the former Milan Centre purchase by Littledown, the conversion and refurbishment works in the Thomas Grey Centre buildings be funded using Basic Need grant funding.

The Cabinet considered a report on the potential options for the expansion of Special Education Needs (SEN) and Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) provision to address present and future demand for such places.  The report published in the supplementary agenda did not include any exempt information (as had been envisaged when the report was marked ‘to follow’ when the agenda was published) and it was therefore moved to Part I of the agenda.

As the school population in Slough continued to increase there would be a further need for more SEN and PRU places in addition to the existing shortfall currently being met by over-occupation and out of borough placements.  Forecasts showed a growth in demand of 278 SEN and PRU places by 2022.  Work was underway to explore the short, medium and long term options to meet the demand for places and further reports would come to future Cabinet meetings.  In the interim, a number of recommendations were made on the first phase to meet the short term need by utilising the Thomas Grey Centre buildings to provide additional places by disposing of the part of the building formerly occupied by the Milan Centre to Littledown School on a 125 year Academy lease and to lease the remainder of the Thomas Grey building to Haybrook College for three years pending a suitable long term solution being implemented.

The Cabinet considered the financial implications, options appraisal and evaluation criteria of the proposal and recognised the benefits of both providing much needed additional places in the short term and helping to reduce the financial pressure of placing pupils out of borough.  After due consideration, the recommendations were agreed.

Resolved –

(a)  That the former Milan Centre building be disposed to Littledown School under a standard Academy 125 lease to create at least 15 new SEN places.

(b)  That delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director, Assets Infrastructure & Regeneration to agree the final valuation sum following consultation with the Leader, the Commissioner for Education & Children and the Council’s section 151 officer.

(c)  That the Thomas Grey Centre be leased to Haybrook College to create additional capacity from September 2016 at a cost of £35K per annum for 3 years until a permanent solution is built;

(d)  That the former Milan Centre purchase by Littledown, the conversion and refurbishment works in the Thomas Grey Centre buildings be funded using Basic Need grant funding.