Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People attached.

Councillor Lucy Smith, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, presented the report which provided an update on three capital projects: Spurr House, Millwood Special School, and Specialist Resourced Provision Units.

Decision:

Cabinet:

1.    In order to progress the development of the scheme to adapt Spurr House, Cabinet is asked to approve a decision to enter into a Pre-Construction Services Agreement with a contractor selected following a tender process, and which will incur a commitment to the payment of pre-construction costs of up to £184,000. Those costs are to be met from the Children’s Services capital programme;

2.    In order to progress the scheme to extend Millwood Special School, Cabinet is asked to approve a decision to enter into a Pre-Construction Services Agreement with ISG, and which will incur a commitment to the payment of preconstruction costs of up to £195,000. Those costs to be met from the Children’s Services capital programme; and

3.    Cabinet is requested to approve a contract award in respect of Woodbank Primary School, to the lowest tenderer.

Reasons for the decision:

In order to deliver the new secondary school in Radcliffe, the Council is required to confirm that it will commit to meet certain obligations, including providing DfE with vacant possession of the Spring Lane site by 1st March 2024. Failure to provide such commitments will prevent the new school in Radcliffe scheme from progressing and the Council will incur financial penalties. The delivery of the Spurr House scheme, and the interim solution for the PRU are essential in enabling vacant possession of the Spring Lane site to be provided.

Development of additional capacity at Millwood Special School and new resourced Provision at Woodbank Primary School as set out in the Project Safety Valve agreement between the Council and the Department for Education, is a key element of the specialist place sufficiency strategy. Taken together, the Agreement and strategy set out the business case for the development of new provision to meet increasing demand within Bury for specialist provision and reduce the reliance on placements in Independent Non-Maintained Special Schools (INMSS). The projects at Millwood Special School and Woodbank Primary School are priorities within this strategy.

Other options considered and rejected:

In respect of the relocation of the Pupil Referral Unit, whilst it is possible to reprocure the scheme for adaptation of Spurr House, it will build in further delay to delivery of the project with no certainty that costs will be reduced. The option to re-procure will remain and can be pursued in the event that the PCSA does not deliver the desired outcomes.

In respect of Millwood, whilst it is possible to re-procure the scheme, it will build further delay to delivery of the project with no certainty that costs will be reduced. The option to re-procure will remain, to be pursued in the event that the PCSA does not deliver the desired outcomes.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People is attached.

Councillor Lucy Smith, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, presented the report which set out the full financial details.

Decision:

Cabinet:

1.    In order to progress the development of the scheme to adapt Spurr House, Cabinet is asked to approve a decision to enter into a Pre-Construction Services Agreement with a contractor selected following a tender process, and which will incur a commitment to the payment of pre-construction costs of up to £184,000. Those costs are to be met from the Children’s Services capital programme;

2.    In order to progress the scheme to extend Millwood Special School, Cabinet is asked to approve a decision to enter into a Pre-Construction Services Agreement with ISG, and which will incur a commitment to the payment of preconstruction costs of up to £195,000. Those costs to be met from the Children’s Services capital programme; and

3.    Cabinet is requested to approve a contract award in respect of Woodbank Primary School, to the lowest tenderer.

Reasons for the decision:

As set out for the Part A report.

Other options considered and rejected:

As set out for the Part A report.