Hampshire County Council

SEN Members Panel Item

3 October 2001

Eastleigh & Winchester Special Education Needs (SEN) Reorganisation

Report of the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

1.

Summary

1.1

The purpose of this report is to provide Members with an update of progress made on implementing the reorganisation of Special Education Needs in Eastleigh and Winchester. Specifically this report concentrates on the progress of the building developments at Lankhills and Shepherds Down Schools.

2.

Scheme Development

Lankhills

2.1

Planning permission for the full scheme, including the additional five residential bedrooms in the Post 16 residential unit, was granted in July of this year, later than had originally been programmed. This was due to lengthy negotiations with the planning authority to discharge a number of significant issues including environmental studies, highway works on site and off site and the removal of a number of mature trees. The discovery of a bat roost in the existing building further delayed the project start while a license was obtained from the DEFRA (formally DETR) and English Nature. This license was recently granted allowing removal of the bat roost and permission to demolish the buildings. The total delays extended the completion of the building works into early 2003. It was therefore agreed with the County Education Officer, headteachers and governors to delay the implementation of the reorganisation until Easter 2003.

2.2

An enabling contract with a value of £28,415 was completed during the summer holiday period, taking advantage of the opportunity to avoid disruption to the school. This enabled the site to be prepared for the main contract. Work undertaken included tree felling, access improvements, the establishment of a temporary car park and temporary playground area and site segregation and fencing to establish a secure contractors compound.

2.3

Now that planning permission has been granted and all necessary statutory approvals are in place, it is proposed to undertake a further advance package of works to demolish the existing building and prepare the site for the new building. This will enable further site investigations to be undertaken of the existing foundations and will reduce the risk of any delays early in the main contract.

Shepherds Down

2.4

Planning permission for the proposed scheme at Shepherds Down School was granted during May 2001 and an enabling contract with a value of £47,094 was completed during the summer holiday period. The work included access improvements, extension of an existing road, creation of a new loop road and temporary mini bus drop off area and car park improvements in preparation for the main contract.

2.5

As at Lankhills it is proposed to undertake some demolition works and site preparation works at the school in advance of the main contract.

2.6

The two contracts have been awarded to one contractor in order that they can run in parallel and be managed as one overall project. This will give economies of scale in terms of the procurement of materials and the staff resources required for both contractor and design team. There are many common features on both sites including hydrotherapy pools, roof finishes, fixtures and fittings etc.

3.

Programme for Implementation

3.1

Due to delays in satisfying and discharging a number of planning issues, referred to earlier in this report, the Education Committee, Governors, staff and parents were informed last term of a two term slippage in the target completion date to Easter 2003.

3.2

The Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services is currently in second stage negotiation for both projects with the contractors Llewellyn and it is anticipated that detailed tender prices will be available in October 2001.

3.3

It is anticipated that work will commence at both sites before Christmas 2001. The contracts will run in parallel and are due for completion during the Spring of 2003.

4.

Funding / Cost Issues

4.1

Funding currently available for the two projects, excluding fees, is £4,430,000 for Lankhills and £1,679,000 for Shepherds Down.

4.2

Members of the former Education Buildings Sub-Committee were advised of a shortfall in excess of £300,000 (approximately 5%) in funding to implement the project at Scheme Design Stage. This is within acceptable tolerances to tender the project. All efforts are being made to contain or reduce this shortfall by working with the contractor to achieve economies of scale and specification changes which will not affect the quality of the accommodation. The final price will be known at the end of this second stage process.

4.3

Members will be aware from previous reports to the former Education Committee that the building industry nationally, and in particular in the South East, is experiencing significant tender price increases well above the standard rate of inflation. There is shortage of skilled labour and a boom in the industry is pushing up material and salary costs. The increased costs due to building inflation will have to be managed from within the Capital Programme. The Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services, together with the County Treasurer and County Education Officer will advise Members of the proposals to deal with this pressure on this particular project when firm tender prices are agreed with the contractor.

4.4

A significant proportion of the funding for this project comes from the future sale of land at Lankhills, Tankerville in Eastleigh and the former South Downs School in Otterbourne. When a firm tender is received a final review will be undertaken of the likely out turn of future income from the receipts in order to maximise the funding available.

Recommendation

1

That the report be noted.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report and attached appraisal.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works.

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE FILE

NONE.

SEN031001