Archived decisions

Contact: Anne Dee, ext 6814 email: [email protected]

Contact: Graham Flatt, ext 6809 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report sets out the School Landscape Programme for 2007/08 which links to the Environment Department's School Travel Plans and Safer Routes to Schools Programme.

1.2 The proposals will help to improve school environments.

2. Recommendation

2.1 That the 2007/08 School Landscape Programme, set out below, be approved:

Environmental Improvements to School Grounds £10,000

Individual schemes below £5,000:

Balksbury Infant School, Andover

St John's Primary School, Basingstoke

Waite End Primary School, Waterlooville

Titchfield Primary School, Fareham £14,000

Creation of quiet outdoor play and learning area

(£8,368 brought forward from 2006/07 budget)

Eling Infant School, Totton £14,000

Conversion of car park into outdoor classroom

and play space at Early Years Centre

(Total funding £14,000 - brought forward from

2006/07 budget)

3. Introduction

3.1 Established in 1992, the School Landscape Programme is an ongoing Hampshire County Council led initiative which engages Hampshire Schools in the development of their grounds to contribute to the educational and wider needs of the young people and the school community.

3.2 The emphasis is on creating a participative process that secures an ongoing commitment by the school to improving and managing the school estate long after the designer has left. Many projects are funded entirely by the schools and their partners, in which case the Schools Landscape Programme enables a collaborative design and development process, which links to the Environment Department's School Travel Plans and Safer Routes to Schools Programme. In addition the Programme works in partnership across the whole of Hampshire County Council, supporting needs identified through initiatives such as Healthy Schools.

3.3 The programme is part of a wider programme funded by the Policy and Resources Committee. The Environment Department's Conservation and Environmental Improvements Fund gives an annual capital budget, currently £45,000 for 2007/08, enabling funding provision for small scale projects and pump-priming funding for larger strategic development projects. This allocation is included in the overall capital budget of £1,025,000 for the Environmental Improvements Programme as recorded in the 2007/08 Budget Book.

3.4 The programme is currently working with 18 schools to develop a whole site strategy. Not all schools will receive a funding input as the main focus of the work is on preparation of grounds strategies. Projects rely on the commitment and resources of the schools and are largely implemented by others. A few schemes are selected for improvement `in house' to support and promote best practice.

3.5 It is planned to spend in the region of £50,000 from the Conservation and Environmental Improvements Fund during 2007/08 which includes £31,000 brought forward from 2005/06 and 2006/07. The balance of 2007/08 funding of £29,368 will be allocated to projects that support and promote best practice.

4. Impact Assessments

4.1 This proposed programme will improve the school environment for pupils. Assessment of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act has been considered in the development of this programme. No adverse impact has been identified in terms of race, creed or gender.

5. Conclusion

5.1 This report proposes the approval of those schemes identified for delivery in the 2007/08 programme.

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