Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Proposed Executive Decision:

1) Summary:

The following decision is proposed:

that:

a) the education strategy for Building Schools for the Future outcomes attached at Appendix A; and

b) the prioritisation of schools for investment through Building Schools for the Future as set out in Appendix B

be approved for submission to the Department for Education and Skills, subject to the Director of Children's Services being authorised to make minor drafting amendments to the education strategy prior to submission.

2) Reasons for the decision:

These are the reasons for this decision being made, including any links to the corporate strategy:

2.1 Local authorities have been invited by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to submit Expressions of Interest (EoI) for entry to the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. These EoIs must include a statement of how BSF investment will transform secondary education and a priority list of schools for investment, based on geographical groupings. Ministers will announce a revised national programme for BSF early in 2009, which will determine the anticipated entry date for each authority.

2.2 Authority is sought for the proposed submission to the DCSF, including the proposed grouping and prioritisation of schools.

3) Other options considered and rejected:

3.1. Option 1:

Do nothing. The County Council is not required to submit an EoI, but failure to do so would preclude consideration by ministers for entry to the BSF programme. This would mean that Hampshire secondary schools and secondary age special schools would miss the opportunity for major capital investment in their buildings.

3.2. Option 2:

Adopt an alternative approach to prioritisation. Other prioritisation models could be followed, e.g. building need. Ministers have, however, made it clear that social and educational need will be used to prioritise submissions nationally. To use an alternative approach would, therefore, disadvantage the County Council in securing entry to the programme.

4) Conflicts of Interest:

4.1. Conflicts of interest declared by the Decision-Maker:

a) None

4.2. Conflicts of interest declared by other Executive members consulted:

a) None

5) Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee:

None

6) Any reasons for the matter being dealt with urgently:

None

7) Statement from the Decision Maker:

.