Archived decisions
Contact: Bob Eardley, Strategic Planning Manager, 01962 846275. Email: [email protected]
1. Summary
1.1 This report sets out proposed changes to the Children's Services capital programme for 2006/07. It proposes allocations of block votes to specific projects, reports on recent consultation proposals from the DfES to increase funding for capital investment in primary school buildings and makes proposals for locating temporary classrooms.
Children Act outcomes
1.2 The five outcomes specified in the Children Act are set out below, with a summary of how the proposals in this report contribute to their achievement:
· being healthy (enjoying good physical and mental health and living a healthy lifestyle): through proposals to encourage walking and cycling to and from school;
· staying safe (being protected from harm and neglect): by creating safe environments in schools, particularly through the separation of pedestrians and vehicles;
· enjoying and achieving (getting the most out of life and developing the skills for adulthood): by providing a high standard of education for children in suitable buildings;
· making a positive contribution (being involved with the community and society and not engaging in anti-social or offending behaviour): by encouraging the flexible use of accommodation;
· economic well-being (not being prevented by economic disadvantage from achieving their full potential in life): by ensuring that proposals will not disadvantage children and will protect equality of opportunity.
2. Amendments to the 2006/07 capital programme
NDS Modernisation - minor works
Cams Hill School, Fareham
2.1 The block allocation for secondary school sports halls includes a sum of £0.050m as a contribution to a drama studio at Cams Hill School, Fareham, funded in the main by the New Opportunities Fund, at a total cost of £0.275m. Expenditure of £0.050m has now been incurred by the school and it is recommended that it is now reimbursed from the block allocation provision.
Projects to assist with the management of falling rolls
Oak Meadow Primary School/Early Years Centre, Fareham
2.2It is proposed to relocate the Nurture Unit currently located within the adjoining Early Years Centre (EYC) at this school to the primary school building as part of the ongoing management of falling rolls. The resulting space within the EYC will be refurbished as part of a major scheme to redesignate the EYC as a Children's Centre (see paragraphs 3.4 to 3.6).
Tenders will be sought during May 2006, with anticipated start on site during July 2006 and completion during August 2006.
2.3 This project is part of a larger programme to improve specialist teaching facilities, funded from the school's devolved capital. It is proposed that an allocation of £0.058m is made for this project from the capital programme 2006/07 block vote for the Management of Falling Rolls.
Staff Workforce Remodelling
2.4 The 2006/07 capital programme includes a block allocation of £0.250m for improvements to schools' administrative accommodation in order to help the implementation of the staff workforce remodelling programme. A number of projects are being developed, funded mainly by schools, and these are set out in Appendix 1.
2.5 It is recommended that an allocation of £0.230m from this block vote is made to fund projects at the schools listed in Appendix 1.
NDS Modernisation Fund - Health & Safety
Hot surface protection
2.6 A programme of work to provide protection to hot surface radiators and pipes in schools with vulnerable children has been in place for the last two years. A comprehensive risk assessment has been undertaken and has identified 71 schools which have a high priority for work to be undertaken, because spaces are used by very young children. The total estimated cost is £0.153m, of which £0.075m will be funded by Policy and Resources. The projects are listed in full in Appendix 2. It is recommended that an allocation of £0.078m is made from the provision for Health and Safety to fund these projects.
Arson Prevention Strategy
2.7 Following an increase in the number of school fires in recent years, work has been carried out to identify cost effective ways of reducing the risk of arson on school sites. An issue which can be tackled relatively easily is the moving of refuse bins from sites close to school buildings to more secure locations where the risk of fires spreading is greatly reduced. It is proposed to introduce a phased programme of works to schools with refuse bins stored close to their buildings to provide alternative facilities offering a lower risk
2.8 An annual allocation of £0.025m for this work is proposed from the block allocation for Health and Safety and this will be matched by an allocation from Policy and Resources. It is hoped that individual schools will also contribute, allowing more establishments to be covered.
Secondary school food technology and science projects
2.9 The 2006/07 capital programme includes a block allocation of £0.500m for secondary food technology and science improvements. Individual costed projects have been identified; all are minor works schemes.
2.10 Appendix 3 lists the proposed schemes, indicating the number of specialist spaces being improved at each school. Contributions from schools' devolved formula capital are being made in all cases at 20% of the total project costs, with the exception of Baycroft School, Gosport, which has committed its devolved formula capital to a major project currently being developed, which will be reported later in the year.
2.11 It is recommended that approval is given to the minor works projects listed in Appendix 3.
Craft, Design and Technology (CDT) projects
2.12 The 2006/07 capital programme includes a block allocation of £0.250m for secondary school CDT improvements Following advice from the CDT inspector it is proposed that all of this block allocation is used to fund CDT improvements at Fernhill School, Farnborough, which has the facilities most in need of comprehensive improvement.
2.13 It is recommended that the project at Fernhill School, Farnborough be added to the 2006/07 capital programme as a named scheme for the improvement of CDT facilities.
Improvements to children's homes
2.14 There is provision of £0.250m in the current year's capital programme for improvements to children's homes. A project has been in preparation for some time to refit the kitchen at Merrydale children's home, Kings Worthy so that it meets modern health and safety standards. The cost of the project is £0.053m.
2.15 It was anticipated that tenders for the project would be below £0.050m and that it would be possible to use the delegated powers of the Director of Children's Services to accept the tender and allow the work to proceed to a pre-arranged schedule. As the tender price was above the delegation limit, the Executive Member for Children's Services was consulted and agreed that the work should proceed in advance of a formal decision, to avoid making changes to the respite care arrangements already put in place.
2.16 It is recommended that the refurbishment project at Merrydale children's home, Kings Worthy is added as a minor works project at an estimated cost of £0.053m, funded from the provision for improvements to children's homes.
3. Children's Centres programme
Mill Hill Early Years Centre, Waterlooville
3.1This centre is located in the former Waite End Infant school in Waterlooville and provides accommodation for several pre-school groups, family learning providers, locally based Children's Services staff and multi-agency teams.
3.2 As part of the County Council's Children's Centre initiative there is a requirement for the provision of a full core offer children's centre in the Waite End area of Waterlooville. While the current Centre already provides many of the services required for designation as a full core offer centre, for it to continue to meet the requirements of its local community there is a need to reorganise the internal layout of the building.
3.3 A reconfigured layout which will provide more appropriate administrative areas and more flexible community spaces has been agreed with the Centre's Management Group. The estimated cost of the works is £0.288m and once completed the Centre will be in a position to apply for designation as a Full Core Children's Centre. It is recommended that £0.288m is allocated to this project from the provision in the capital programme for the development of Phase 2 Children's Centres.
Oak Meadow Early Years Centre, Fareham
3.4 Oak Meadow Early Years Centre is located in the former Fareham Park Infant school in Fareham. It provides accommodation for a full day care nursery, several family learning organisations and a Nurture Unit that is attached to Oak Meadow C of E Primary School, which shares the site. It is proposed to relocate the nurture unit back into existing accommodation within the primary school (see paragraphs 2.2 to 2.3).
3.5 As part of the County Council's Children's Centre initiative there is a requirement for the provision of a full core offer children's centre in this part of Fareham. Whilst the Centre is currently providing some of the services required to meet full core designation, there is a need for the Centre to be able to offer additional services to be designated as a Children's Centre.
3.6A scheme has been developed that will allow a large redundant kitchen area to be converted into community facilities and administration space. The existing Nurture Unit will be relocated and the entrance to the Centre will be moved, to improve access for the public. The estimated cost of this scheme is £0.350m and it is recommended that this amount is allocated from the provision for development of Children's Centres. Once complete this investment will allow the Centre to move to designation as a Full Core Children's Centre.
4.Swanwick Lodge Secure Unit
4.1 Swanwick Lodge is a Secure Unit located at Glen Road, Swanwick, Fareham. The Unit caters for 16 children normally aged between 12-16 years. Currently 10 places are bought by the Youth Justice Board, one place by Southampton City Council, one place by Portsmouth City Council, with the remaining places being used by Hampshire County Council, or if not required sold on the open market.
4.2On 9 June 2005, the Executive Member for Policy and Resources approved the disposal of 0.4ha of surplus land on the Swanwick Lodge site, with 100% of the sale proceeds to be retained to finance demolition of redundant residential blocks and associated improvements to the Unit.
4.3 A scheme has now been developed that will allow for the demolition of the redundant secure units along with some internal improvements and alterations to the retained buildings. These works are detailed within a Project Appraisal elsewhere on this agenda. The estimated cost of the works is £0.889m and it is recommended that this project is added to the 2006/07 capital programme.
4.4 It is intended that 100% of the funding for the project will come from the anticipated capital receipt, but a contribution from the contingency is required to allow the project to start, as the estimated cost currently exceeds the anticipated receipt. A confidential report will be submitted to the Executive Member, Policy and Resources recommending prudential borrowing to cover the cost of the project in advance of the receipt. In line with a recent Cabinet decision the cost of borrowing will need to be met from capital programme resources at a rate of approximately 9% p.a. until the sale is completed. This cost can be met from the contingency.
5. Action taken by the Director of Children's Services
5.1 Under delegated powers, and following consultation with the Executive Member for Education, the following action has been taken and it is recommended that formal approval is now given.
· an allocation from the capital programme contingency of £0.004m towards the cost of a school funded project to provide a multi-use space at Froxfield Infant School;
· an allocation from the capital programme contingency of £0.007m towards the cost of a school funded project to provide a dance/drama studio at Oak Lodge Special School, Dibden;
· an allocation of £0.016m from the capital programme contingency to reflect additional tender costs of a major project at Hamble Primary School;
· an allocation of £0.021m from the capital programme contingency towards the cost of replacing electrical switchgear, associated with an externally funded project to provide floodlit tennis courts at Staunton Park Community School, Havant. 50% of the cost of replacing the switchgear is being met by Policy and Resources;
· an allocation of £0.050m for the provision for Health and Safety towards the cost of a new sewerage treatment plant at Droxford Junior School, matching a contribution of the same amount from Policy and Resources.
6. Specialist schools allocations
6.1 Notifications have been received of capital allocations for two schools which have been awarded specialist school status. These are listed in Table 1. The allocation for each school is £0.100m.
Table 1
School |
Specialism |
Funding Source |
Testbourne |
Arts |
Grant |
Warblington |
Science |
Grant |
6.2 It is recommended that £0.200m is added to the provision for secondary school improvements to reflect these allocations.
7. DfES consultation on proposals for additional capital funding for primary schools
7.1 In March 2006 the DfES published a consultation document entitled "Every Child Matters: Primary capital programme", which sets out proposals to achieve a step change in the quality of teaching and learning and raising standards in primary schools. This would be achieved through significant additional capital investment available from 2008/09 to improve the primary school building stock.
7.2 A proposed outline response to the consultation document is attached as Appendix 4. The proposals set out by the DfES can be broadly supported. They build on existing capital allocations and propose a funding approach based partly on pupil numbers and partly on deprivation, which is considerably more advantageous to the County Council than the deprivation led approach used for Building Schools for the Future for secondary schools. The main aims and principles are summarised below:
· to ensure primary schools are fully equipped for 21st century learning;
· to remodel/refurbish at least half of all primary schools through increased capital investment;
· to allocate funding through a simple formula and expect it to be supported from other funding streams;
· to make available £150m to pilot authorities in 2008/09, with £500m p.a. available from 2009/2010 onwards for all authorities, for a total period of fifteen years;
· funding to be available to all primary and primary aged special schools;
· allocations to the County Council of about £8.5m p.a. from 2009/10 onwards;
· regional pilots in 2008/09.
7.3 The DfES has requested responses to the consultation by 14 June 2006 and has also invited local authorities to submit expressions of interest in becoming pilot authorities. To maximise the available resources and to influence the new programme as much as possible, it is proposed that the County Council should make a submission to become a pilot authority. The DfES will be issuing guidance on the criteria to be met in order to be considered as a pilot and an oral update will be made at the decision day.
7.4 It is recommended that a response along the lines set out in Appendix 4 is made to the DfES consultation "Every Child Matters: Primary Capital Programme".
8. Temporary Classrooms
New Provision
Elvetham Heath Primary School, Fleet
8.1 This school provides 420 places with a Published Admission Number (PAN) of 60. At a recent admission appeal, 17 appellants won cases for their children to be admitted to the school at Year R in September 2006. This will mean that there will be 77 pupils in Year R, which is significantly more than can be accommodated within the permanent school buildings. It is proposed that a single temporary classroom is provided from September 2006 to allow the school to organise appropriately to cater for these additional admissions.
8.2 It is recommended that approval from the Executive Member for Policy and Resources is sought to submit a planning application for the siting of a single temporary classroom until August 2011.
Basingstoke School Plus
8.3 Basingstoke School Plus operates on two sites in Basingstoke: the former Hawthorns School and the former Ashwood Education Centre. The accommodation at the Ashwood Centre was adapted from a former residential hostel for adults with learning disabilities and shares the site with an Adult Services day centre. It currently caters for approximately 70 key stage 4 pupils although not all attend the centre at the same time. The accommodation is poor, consisting mainly of undersized rooms adapted from former bedrooms and offices.
8.4 In order to provide a more suitable curriculum for pupils it is proposed that additional temporary buildings are provided at the site which would enable a more vocationally focused education to be offered to pupils. The temporary accommodation will provide facilities for teaching food technology, design technology and ICT.
8.5 It is recommended that approval from the Executive Member for Policy and Resources is sought for a planning application to be submitted to site a single and a double temporary building at Basingstoke School Plus until August 2011.
Samuel Cody School, Farnborough
8.6 The school caters for pupils from 11-16 who have moderate learning difficulties and autism. The school provides 85 places but currently has 91 pupils on roll and its accommodation does not provide the range of facilities required for pupils with special needs, particularly a base for pupils with autism. In addition the school suffers from a lack of staff facilities and an undersized staffroom. It is proposed to relocate the staff room to an existing classroom in order to provide a better facility for staff and to provide a double temporary classroom to cater for those pupils who will be relocated from the existing classroom and for the additional pupils at the school. The former staffroom will become a small group room for the teaching of pupils with autism. It is hoped that in the longer-term a capital contribution can be secured from the housing developer on the nearby Aldershot Urban Extension site in order to replace the temporary accommodation in due course.
8.7 It is recommended that approval from the Executive Member for Policy and Resources is sought to submit a planning application for the siting of a double temporary classroom until August 2011.
Hook Infant School
8.8 Hook Infant School has a net capacity of 270 with a published admission number of 90. A new housing development is underway in the school's catchment area at Holt Lane, Hook, which will provide 330 new houses; approximately one third of these homes have been completed. Demand for places at Hook Infant School is increasing and is expected to exceed the published admission number. The number of 4 year olds forecast in the catchment area over the next five years reaches a maximum of 130. There are no other alternative schools in the locality and children unable to obtain a place at Hook Infant School face a long journey to an alternative school. In order to be able to respond to expected demand for places it is recommended that temporary accommodation is provided for a short period to deal with a bulge in pupil numbers whilst the new housing is being built up to 2008. In the longer-term numbers are forecast to reduce to a level within the school's permanent capacity and there is no case for a permanent extension.
8.9 It is recommended that approval from the Executive Member for Policy and Resources is sought for a planning application to be submitted to site a double temporary building at the school until August 2011.
Durley CE (C) Primary School
8.10 This school has a capacity of 112 places with a number on roll of 117. The school is coming under increasing pressure as a result of successful admission appeals, which is putting a significant strain on the school's infrastructure. Owing to the rise in pupil numbers the school can no longer timetable the hall to provide sufficient accommodation for music and drama and there is no space available for working with children with special educational needs. In order to provide this accommodation it is recommended that a single temporary classroom is made available, while plans are drawn up for the provision of a permanent solution to provide this accommodation.
8.11 It is recommended that approval from the Executive Member for Policy and Resources is sought for a planning application to be submitted to site a single temporary building at the school until August 2011.
Relocation of Hampshire County Wardrobe
8.12 Hampshire County Wardrobe provides a costume and properties hire service, predominantly to schools. Until recently, it was located in Ashbourne Lodge, Winchester, which is being sold for redevelopment and the Wardrobe collection is currently being stored pending the availability of a new location. Proposals are in hand to transfer the management of the Wardrobe from Children's Services Department to Recreation and Heritage, but there are no suitable permanent premises.
8.13 In the longer-term, it may be possible to incorporate the Wardrobe in the Museums Service complex at Chilcomb, Winchester. As an interim measure and to allow the Wardrobe to reopen, plans have been drawn up to provide a temporary base for the service at Chilcomb and a planning application is currently under consideration.
8.14 The Wardrobe could reopen in two double temporary buildings which could be placed on site during the summer holidays. There is, however, no identified capital funding to provide, locate and equip the buildings. As the service is used extensively by schools it would be reasonable to charge the capital cost of the temporary provision to the Children's Services capital programme, on the understanding that once the Wardrobe use ceases, the buildings could be made available for use by Children's Services. The estimated cost of the temporary provision is £0.156m and it is recommended that this sum is met from the capital programme contingency.
Planning Renewals
8.15 There are a number of temporary buildings where planning permission needs to be renewed. For some of these buildings arrangements are in place for eventual replacement with permanent accommodation. Others are meeting a current demand for places, but longer-term forecasts suggest that permanent places will not be required in the future because of falling school rolls. These cases are being kept under close review. Detailed information about the schools, together with an explanations of the reasons for their retention can be found in Appendix 5.
8.16 It is recommended that approval from the Executive Member for Policy and Resources is sought for planning renewals until 31 August 2011 for the temporary buildings listed in Appendix 5.
9 County Council Policy Requirements
9.1 Legal implications - The proposals support the County Council's statutory duty to provide school places and comply with central government accommodation requirements and guidance.
9.2 Financial implications - These are set out in the report.
9.3 Personnel implications - None directly arising from this report.
9.4 Community cohesion, inclusiveness and partnership working - Most of the capital projects proposed in this report support these aims.
9.5 Crime prevention issues - None directly arising from this report
Recommendations
For the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services
1. That, subject to the approval of the Executive Member, Policy and Resources, the following changes to the 2006/07 capital programme be approved:
(a) an allocation of £0.288m from the provision in for the development of Phase 2 Children's Centres to a project at Mill Hill Early Years Centre, Waterlooville;
(b) an allocation of £0.350m from the provision in for the development of Phase 2 Children's Centres to a project at the Oak Meadow Early Years Centre, Fareham;
(c) the addition of a major refurbishment project at Swanwick Lodge Secure Unit, at an estimated cost of £0.889m, subject to approval by the Executive Member for Policy and Resources of prudential borrowing up to that amount.
2. That an allocation of £0.053m from the provision in the 2006/07 capital programme for improvements to children's homes be approved for a refurbishment project at Merrydale children's home, Kings Worthy.
For the Executive Member for Education
1. That, subject to the approval of the Executive Member, Policy and Resources, the following variations to the 2006/07capital programme be approved:
(a) an allocation of £0.250m to a major project at Fernhill Secondary School, Farnborough to be funded from the provision for improvement of CDT facilities;
(b) the addition of resources of £0.200m to the provision for secondary school improvements for grant allocations for specialist school status to Testbourne Community School and Warblington School.
2. That the following variations to the 2006/07 capital programme be approved:
(a) allocations from the provision for staff workforce projects to the projects listed in Appendix 1;
(b) an allocation of £0.050m from the block allocation for secondary school sports halls for a project at Cams Hill School, Fareham;
(c) an allocation of £0.058m from the block allocation for the management of falling rolls for a minor works project at Oak Meadow Primary School, Fareham;
(d) an allocation of £0.078m from the block vote for health and safety to fund hot surface remedial projects at the schools listed in Appendix 2;
(e) an annual allocation of £0.025m for fire prevention measures from the block allocation for health and safety at schools to be identified;
(f) allocations from the provision for science and food technology projects to the projects listed in Appendix 3;
(g) an allocation of £0.050m from the provision for health and safety towards the cost of a minor works project at Droxford Junior School;
(h) the following allocations from the capital programme contingency:
(i) £0.156m to meet the costs of providing temporary accommodation for the Hampshire County Wardrobe at Chilcomb, Winchester;
(ii) £0.004m towards the cost of a school funded project to provide a multi-use space at Froxfield Infant School;
(iii) £0.007m towards the cost of a school funded project to provide a dance/drama studio at Oak Lodge Special School, Dibden;
(iv) £0.016m to reflect additional tender costs of a major project at Hamble Primary School;
(v) £0.021m towards the cost of replacing electrical switchgear, associated with an externally funded project to provide floodlit tennis courts at Staunton Park Community School, Havant.
3. That a response along the lines set out in Appendix 4 is made to the DfES consultation document "Every Child Matters: Primary Capital Programme".
4. That it be a recommendation to the Executive Member for Policy and Resources that temporary classrooms are located on the following sites until August 2011:
Elvetham Heath Primary School Fleet - one single unit
Basingstoke School Plus, Ashwood site - one double and one single unit
Samuel Cody School, Farnborough - one double unit
Hook Infant School - one double unit
Durley Primary School - one single unit
and that renewals of temporary classroom planning consents are sought for those locations listed in Appendix 5.
Section 100D - 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.
NB: the list excludes:
1. Published works
2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.
None.
Appendix 1
Staff Workforce Remodelling - proposed schemes
School |
£'m |
Bransgore Primary |
0.030 |
Fawley Infant |
0.050 |
Frogmore Infant, Yateley |
0.020 |
Harrison Primary, Fareham |
0.015 |
King's Furlong Junior, Basingstoke |
0.025 |
St Michael's Church of England Controlled Junior, Aldershot |
0.030 |
St. Luke's Primary, Sway |
0.030 |
Westfields Junior, Yateley |
0.030 |
Unallocated |
0.020 |
Total |
0.250 |
Appendix 2
Proposed hot surface protection projects
Primary schools |
Ashley Infant, New Milton |
Ashley Junior, New Milton |
Bishopswood Infant, Tadley |
Bordon Infant |
Broughton Primary |
Chineham Park Primary, Basingstoke |
Cupernham Infant, Romsey |
Four Marks Primary |
Foxhills Infant, Totton |
Frogmore Infant, Yateley |
Front Lawn Infant, Havant |
Hambledon Infant |
Haselworth Primary, Gosport |
Haven Early Years Centre, Gosport |
Holbrook Primary, Gosport |
Manor Infant, Holbury |
Langdown Infant, Dibden |
Lee-On-The-Solent Infant |
Lymington CEA Infant |
St Michael's & All Angels Infant, Lyndhurst |
Manor Infant, Farnborough |
Marchwood Infant |
Meadowlands Infant, Cowplain |
Medstead Primary |
Meonstoke Infant |
Merton Infant, Basingstoke |
Milford-on-Sea CEA Primary |
Northern Infant, Fareham |
Oakridge Infant, Basingstoke |
Oliver's Battery Primary, Winchester |
Park View Infant, Basingstoke |
Pennington Infant, Lymington |
Pinewood Infant, Farnborough |
Preston Candover Primary |
Red Barn Primary, Fareham |
Shipton Bellinger Primary |
St John the Baptist Primary, Fareham |
St Joseph's Catholic Primary, Fareham |
St Peter's Catholic VA Primary, Winchester |
Stakes Hill Infant, Waterlooville |
Stockbridge Primary |
The Holme CEC Primary, Headley |
Waite End Primary, Waterlooville |
Weyford Infant, Bordon |
Winklebury Infant, Basingstoke |
Woodcot Primary, Gosport |
Chiltern Primary, Basingstoke |
Bidbury Infant, Havant |
Eling Infant, Totton |
Knights Enham Infant, Andover |
Lydlynch Infant |
Wildground Infant, Dibden |
|
Secondary schools |
Aldworth Science College, Basingstoke |
Bridgemary Community School, Gosport |
Connaught School, Aldershot |
Court Moor School, Fleet |
Cowplain Community |
Crestwood College for Business and Enterprise, Eastleigh |
Harrow Way School, Andover |
Henry Beaufort School, Winchester |
John Hunt of Everest, Basingstoke |
Neville Lovett Community School, Fareham |
Romsey Community School |
Staunton Park Community School, Havant |
The Hurst Community College, Baughurst |
Wyvern Technology College, Fair Oak |
Warblington School |
Yateley School |
|
Special schools |
Heathfield Special School, Gosport |
Norman Gate Special, Andover |
St Francis Special School, Fareham |
Appendix 3
Secondary Food Technology and Science Programme 2006/07
School |
Food Technology |
Science |
Estimated total cost £'m |
School contribution £'m |
Total cost to capital programme £'m |
Alderman Quilley, Eastleigh |
1 |
0 |
0.105 |
0.025 |
0.080 |
Baycroft, Gosport |
0 |
1 |
0.000 |
0.000 |
0.060 |
Calthorpe Park, Fleet |
0 |
2 |
0.145 |
0.025 |
0.120 |
The Connaught, Aldershot |
1 |
0 |
0.105 |
0.025 |
0.080 |
Portchester Community |
0 |
1 |
0.105 |
0.025 |
0.080 |
Yateley Community |
0 |
1 |
0.105 |
0.025 |
0.080 |
Totals |
2 |
5 |
0.565 |
0.125 |
0.500 |
Appendix 4
Proposed response to DfES consultation "Every Child Matters: Primary Capital Programme"
Q1 What are the most important ways that capital investment can help primary schools play a role at the heart of the community?
A1 Capital investment will provide appropriate space and facilities in a safe and welcoming environment. This will support the raising of standards, while enabling closer working with parents and carers as well as the wider community.
Q2 Do you agree with the proposal to allocated funding on a formulaic basis with every authority benefiting from additional funding from the second year of the programme?
A2 The proposal to allocated under a formula is welcomed and agreed. Other options would not facilitate the "step change" envisaged across a wide range of authorities.
Q3a Do you agree with the proposed framework of national targets, planning and monitoring?
This proposes that:
· local authorities should plan longer-term and link capital investment to Asset Management Plans for condition, suitability and sufficiency as well as taking into account every school's master development plan;
· Annual Performance Assessment will be used for monitoring delivery;
· Joint Area Reviews will look in greater detail at the impact of services across all partners and the effect of the capital investment;
· Other planning requirements will also be taken into account such as ICT, DDA; energy use;
· DfES will "sign off" the plans before releasing the funding and this will be against clear criteria to be published;
· local authorities will need to demonstrate that investment plans support the objectives of the programme;
· on line performance measurements with key performance indicators will be developed.
A3a Yes, but there is a need to be clear about proposals for the DfES to release funding only when plans are signed off. Bureaucracy should be reduced and links established with other initiatives such as a possible Phase 3 Children's Centre programme.
Q3b What are the barriers to joined-up planning and funding?
A3b One likely barrier may be the disparity between the local authority's overall strategic role and the desires and expectations of individual schools and governing bodies, particularly where changes in status may be proposed. Another barrier may be where joining funding and policy is an issue at central government level.
Q4 Do you agree with the proposed approach for ensuring good, sustainable design in the primary capital programme?" The principal design features are:
· Curriculum - focus on personalised learning programmes
· ICT
· Inclusion
· Extended services
· Sustainability
DfES expects that these will be achieved through current Building Regulations, School Premises Regulations and non-statutory guidance through Building Bulletins, particularly BB99 Briefing Framework for Primary School Projects and BB77 for pupils with SEN.
A4 Yes.
Q5 Is this the best way to achieve efficiency and best value for money?
The DfES expects all involved to be committed to achieving best value for money over the whole project, joining up funding and projects to achieve cross-cutting gains including:
· rationalisation and removal of surplus places;
· targeting school buildings with high maintenance costs;
· standardisation of design and construction components/off site constructions;
· making the most of national and local frameworks;
· effective partnering
· better management of school facilities
A5 Yes - there will be opportunities to join up programmes of work with other authorities through the South East Centre of Excellence. A construction framework will be in place this summer and the intention is to share expertise, knowledge and potentially maximise opportunities for economies of scale and common design templates where buildings and sites permit. Given that Hampshire is already working on a programme of three new primary schools to be delivered using common construction methods and two major contracts from the Hampshire Framework the County Council is well positioned to apply increasing funding under the Primary Capital Programme.
Q6 Do you agree with the aims and approach for ICT within the programme?
These are seen as achieving more through technology and its intelligent use. The DfES expects:
· wider use of ICT as personalised learning spreads;
· increased motivation and involvement for learners, parents, carers and the wider community;
· increased use of ICT to improve security;
· changes to the way in which technology services to schools are defined, procured and delivered;
A6 Yes.
Q7 What additional support is needed to build skills and capacity of those involved in making the programme a success?
A7 Skills and capacity are available within the County Council because of its experience in planning and delivering one of the largest local authority building programmes in the country. These skills will be developed further through work with partners such as that through the South East Centre of Excellence, referred to above.
Appendix 5
Proposed temporary classroom renewals