Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report

1. Executive Summary

1.1. The purpose of this paper is to set out proposed changes to the 2009/10 capital programme and proposals for planning consent for temporary classrooms.

1.2. The proposals contained in this report are derived from the departmental service plan(s), which have been developed to support the priorities of the Corporate Strategy.

2. Contextual information

2.1. Taking into account changes since the 2009/10 programme was produced in January (including those proposed in this report); the revised cash limit for the programme is made up as shown in Table 1.

	£'m
Cash limit reported in July 2009	106.909
Co-location funding Grant (transfer to Policy & Resources)	-5.100
Developers contributions received	1.153
Adult Safeguard Learning - additional grant from Learning & Skills Council	0.006
New Deal for Schools Modernisation Capital increase in allocation b/f from 2010/11	0.845
Devolved Formula Capital - 40% advance from 2010/11	8.214
Sustainable Travel Plans - additional grant	0.175
Specialist Schools Funding - Icknield School, Andover	0.100
Acquisition of land at Stocklands from Adult Services for Clifford Centre relocation	-0.170
Total	£112.132

3. Amendments to the 2009/10 - 2011/12 Capital Programme

East Anton, Andover - proposals to establish a temporary school

3.1. Planning permission was granted by Test Valley Borough Council in 2007, for 2,500 dwellings on land at East Anton, Andover. It is expected that the first houses at East Anton will be occupied towards the end of the year and will generate around 600 - 800 primary age children depending on the size and tenure of the new housing.

3.2. In keeping with planning applications of this nature and scale, land has been earmarked at no cost to the County Council within the new development site to provide two 420 place (2-form entry) 4 - 11 primary schools (60 pupils per year group). In addition, a substantial contribution towards the cost of building the new schools has been secured, through negotiations between the County Council, Test Valley Borough Council, and the developer. The proposed new school (part of the 2010/11 capital programme) will be an integral part of the new development located within the heart of the new community with walking and cycling routes specifically designed to enable safe and easy access to the new facilities in the local centre. It is intended that the new school will complete in September 2011.

3.3. Due to the uncertainties with the current housing market, it has been difficult to predict when the building of the new school should start. Therefore, to accommodate the initial children from the East Anton development, approval is sought to open a temporary school from April 2010 on the reserved new school site. It is proposed to relocate the temporary building, currently being used by the Bridge Education Centre, consisting of four classrooms and a hall, at a cost of £658,619, including fees. The temporary school has been designed in such a way that part of this cost £216,978 can be offset against the permanent school. The net cost of £441,641 will be funded from developer's contributions as reported at paragraph 3.8.

Clifford Centre, Totton planned relocation

3.4. The planned East New Forest Complex Learning Difficulties (CLD) school capital project requires the relocation of the Clifford Centre, which houses a primary assessment centre. The approval to submit planning applications to relocate the centre to either Abbotswood Junior School or Bartley C of E Junior School were approved by the Executive Member (Policy and Resources) on 9 April 2009. However, following discussions with planners it became clear that there were likely to be significant planning issues associated with both sites. Subsequently, a permanent option has been identified by adapting Stocklands, a former Adult Services Home Care Service building located in Calmore, Totton. Subject to approval, The Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services anticipates that the necessary works to the building can be completed by
31 December 2009 at a cost of £252,000 including fees. In addition to this figure, the land and building will need to be appropriated from Adult Services to Children's Services at a cost of £170,000. It is proposed that the total cost of £422,000 be met from the capital programme contingency.

School Sustainable Travel Grant allocations 2009/10

3.5. The DCSF has made a sixth round of capital allocations totalling £174,500 to 30 schools (details of individual allocations are listed in Appendix 1) which have School Travel Plans (STPs) authorised and in place by 31 March 2009. The grant is intended to help schools to support sustainable travel to school and DCSF expects the funding to be spent on measures identified in their STPs, such as secure cycle parking, lockers, lighting, signage, and bus bays. The grant is payable at the following rates:

· primary schools: £3,750 per school, plus £5 per pupil

· secondary/special schools: £5,000 per school, plus £5 per pupil

Youth Capital bids 2009/10

3.6. It is proposed to allocate £136,000 to a further three Youth projects as listed in Appendix 2. A contingency of £10,000 remains unallocated that can be carried forward to 2010/11 should it not be required for any of the existing approved schemes. It is recommended that the projects listed in Appendix 2 be approved.

Co-location Funding

3.7. Five bids totalling £12.4m were approved by the Executive Member for Children's Services on 22 July 2009 for addition to the Children's Services capital programme. One of the successful bids of £5.1m was for a Havant Public Service Village offering a new model for the delivery of integrated public and voluntary services. It is recommended that this element of the co-location funding should be managed by Policy and Resources, and this adjustment transfers the funding to the Policy and Resources cash limit.

Developers Contributions received

3.8. The cash limit needs to be increased for three amounts received relating to Four Marks (£0.082m), East Anton, Andover (£0.816m) and North Baddesley (£0.255m) areas totalling £1.153m. It is recommended that the East Anton contribution be used towards the temporary school referred to in paragraph 3.3. A further report detailing proposals for the remaining expenditure will be brought to a future decision day.

Adult Safeguarded Learning

3.9. Funding has been received from the Learning and Skills Council towards two projects at Hurst Community School, Tadley and Brookfield Community School, Sarisbury Green. The projects are already part of the programme and this adjustment reflects a small increase of £6,000 in the LSC contribution.

NDS Modernisation

3.10. As part of the government's response to the economic climate an advance of capital grant has been made from 2010/11 and requires an addition to the 2009/10 cash limit of £0.845m. This relates to two separate allocations under the modernisation capital fund of £0.455m (NDS advance) and £0.390m (school contributions). These funds are being used to deliver sports hall recladding at three secondary schools (Wildern, Petersfield and Cowplain).

Devolved Formula Capital

3.11. As indicated in paragraph 3.10, in response to the economic climate, a one off advance of 40% of 2010/11 allocations have been made to schools. It is proposed that the sum of £8,214,000 is added to the 2009/10 cash limit, bringing the total allocation for 2009/10 to £29,263,162. There is included in these figures a slight adjustment to pupil numbers.

New Specialist School

3.12. Icknield School in Andover have achieved specialist status in Cognition and Learning (one of the SEN strands), and will receive a one-off capital grant of £100,000 from the DCSF. It is recommended that the £100,000 be added to 2009/10 capital programme.

Winchester & Eastleigh Special Schools SEN Project

3.13. Winchester and Eastleigh Special Schools Project (principally Osborne School, Winchester and Shepherds Down Special School, Compton) was completed and occupied some six years ago. In order to fund the project capital receipts were generated from the sale of the old Lankhills site. The final cost was £11.568m and funding of £11.406m has been identified leaving £0.162m to be met from the balance of the capital receipts received in 2007/08 from the disposal of various Children's Services sites.

3.14. As part of the funding strategy, a proportion of the former Lankhills Special School site, surplus to requirements, was disposed and the resultant capital receipt invested in the projects. The surplus land contained a Roman Burial Ground and, as such, required extensive archaeological excavation and analysis prior to a developer taking possession. This could not be completed until the new buildings were finished and the redundant school buildings had been demolished. An estimate was made of the archaeological costs at the feasibility stage but, because of the unknown extent of the archaeology, the contingency proved to be insufficient. This is the reason for the expenditure exceeding the funding by some £162,000 (1.7% of the total project budget cost). An element of the additional archaeology was containable within the project contingency but the remainder was not. The final cost of the archaeology contract was £470,000, significantly more than had originally been forecast.

3.15. The archaeology project has taken some years to complete, because of statutory requirements, and hence this additional cost issue is only now being reported.

Specialist Facilities Improvements - Brookfield Community School

3.16. A scheme has been developed to fully refurbish two science laboratories at Brookfield Community School and Language College, Sarisbury Green. The scheme will ensure that the school has sufficient specialist science accommodation to meet current and future curriculum demands. It is recommended that a contribution of £200,000 including fees be made available for this project from the Capital Programme, Specialist Facilities Improvements budget.

The Butts Primary School, Alton

3.17. Approval is sought for the disposal of 108 square metres of surplus land at The Butts Primary School, Alton. This disposal approved by the governors is in addition to the disposal of the former Whitedown School site, which lies adjacent to the school, following completion of Hollywater School, Bordon. The main receipt will be used to offset part of the cost of the Hollywater project. It is proposed with the consent of the Executive Member Policy and Resources to use the capital receipt from the sale of this additional land for reinvestment in The Butts Primary School. It is recommended that the land be declared surplus to the requirements of Children's Services Department.

4. Action taken by the Director of Children's Services

4.1. Under delegated powers, and following consultation with the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services (Education), and Executive Member for Children and Families as appropriate, the action set out in Appendix 3 has been taken and it is recommended that formal approval is now given to the allocations listed.

5. Building Schools for the Future (BSF)

5.1 On 15 July, the Secretary of State announced that the Hampshire would be included in the next group of six authorities to join the national BSF programme. This approval related to the first phase of the county's programme, covering six secondary schools, three special schools and one education centre in Havant and Horndean. The schools included are:

· Cowplain Community School

· Glenwood School

· The Hayling College

· Horndean Technology College

· Park Community

· Prospect School

· Rachel Madocks School

· Staunton Community Sports College (to become an academy)

· Warblington School

· Woodlands Education Centre

5.2 The probable capital value of the project is approximately £100m. Two of the sites, Woodlands and Prospect, are likely to receive ICT investment only, as they have been recently completed and require no further capital works.

5.3 As reported to the Cabinet on 27 April 2009, a strategy to fund the shortfall in capital resources, which applies to all authorities in the BSF programme, is being developed. At this stage, and in advance of detailed engagement with Partnerships for Schools (PfS), which manages the national programme on behalf of the DCSF, it is not possible to quantify the shortfall accurately. The 2010/11 capital programme, however, includes provision of £2.5m towards meeting the gap. Further proposals will be brought forward when the revised 2010/11 programme is submitted for approval in January 2010.

5.4 Planned work with schools during the autumn term will lead to the preparation of a Strategy for Change for submission to PfS. This will set out the detailed transformation and investment strategy for the area and will be accompanied by Strategies for Change for each school. Strategy for Change documentation will be submitted for approval to Executive Members early in 2010.

5.5 Work is proceeding in parallel with the six secondary schools included in Phase 2 of BSF. These are:

· Bay House School (Gosport)

· Bridgemary Community Sports College (Gosport)

· Brune Park Community College (Gosport)

· Crookhorn College of Technology (Havant)

· Oaklands Catholic Voluntary Aided Secondary School (Waterlooville)

· Purbrook Park School (Havant)

5.6 The intention is to develop transformation and investment strategies for these schools as quickly as practicable to put them in the best position to take advantage of future tranches of national funding as they become available. Similarly, initial discussions have begun with schools in Phase 3 of the programme, which covers Rushmoor and Bordon.

6. Temporary Classrooms

6.1. Purchases - The temporary classrooms at Netley Abbey Junior School are now past economic repair. It is therefore, recommended that a new double unit is purchased to replace the two single classrooms in very poor condition. It is proposed that the cost of £156,000 (including fees) be met from the Temporary Classroom Replacement budget approved as part of 2009/10 Capital Programme on 21 January 2009. Formal approval is now sought under the delegated powers authority.

6.2. New planning application - Baycroft (MLD) School, Stubbington - it is proposed to site a single temporary classroom to cater for the additional post-16 demand at this school (provision exists for 160 places and there are currently 182 pupils on roll) over the next few years.

6.3. It is recommended that a planning application be submitted for the siting of a single unit until 31 August 2014.

7. Recommendations

7.1. That the following variations to the 2009/10 - 2011/12 capital programme be approved:

(a) It is recommended that the 2009/10 capital programme have:

· £1.153m added in respect of developers' contributions

· £5.1m reduction in respect of the DCSF Co-location funding for Havant Public Service Village (transfer to Policy and Resources)

· £0.006m added in respect of additional Learning and Skills Council grant for Adult Safeguarded Learning projects

· £0.845m added in respect of advanced allocation from 2010/11 for NDS Modernisation Capital funding

· £8.214m added in respect of a 40% advance from 2010/11 Devolved Formula Capital allocations made to schools

· £0.175m added in respect of School Sustainable Travel Plans

· £0.100m added in respect of specialist status one off funding

· £0.170m reduction in respect of land acquisition at Stocklands, Calmore from Adult Services department to relocate the Clifford Centre.

(b) Proposals to establish a temporary school at East Anton, Andover from April 2010 funded from developers contributions.

(c) Proposals for the replacement of the Clifford Centre at Stocklands, Calmore requiring a contribution from contingency of £422,000.

(d) That the second allocation of Youth Capital Fund projects for 2009/10, as set out in Appendix 2.

(e) The final cost of the Winchester/Eastleigh Special Schools SEN review project is noted, the additional £0.162m is charged to the 2009/10 starts programme and the use of the balance of capital receipts to fund these additional costs.

(f) Proposals to refurbish two science laboratories at Brookfield School, Sarisbury Green by contributing £200,000 including fees from Specialist Improvement Facilities budget.

(g) That 108 square metres of land at The Butts Primary School, Alton be declared surplus and that approval be sought from the Executive Member for Policy and Resources for the capital receipt from the sale of the land to be reinvested in a capital project at The Butts Primary School.

(h) Formal approval is recommended to support actions taken by the Director of Children's Services under delegated powers in respect of allocations listed at Appendix 3.

(i) New temporary classroom - approval is recommended for the following project:

· Baycroft School, Stubbington - it is recommended that a planning application be submitted for the siting of a temporary unit until August 2014.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

Links to the Corporate Strategy

NB: If the `Other significant links' section below is not applicable, please delete it.

Other Significant Links

IMPACT ASSESSMENTS:

1. Equalities Impact Assessment:

Equality and diversity objectives are not considered to be adversely affected by the proposals of this report.

2. Impact on Crime and Disorder:

Crime and disorder objectives are not considered to be adversely affected by the proposals of this report.

3. Climate Change:

a) How does what is being proposed impact on our carbon footprint / energy consumption?

When the Children's Services Capital Programme invests in new build, replacement or refurbishment works, Property Services colleagues include an assessment of reductions in energy consumption (carbon use) in the design. In all new buildings and in the majority of refurbishment type investments, the latest technologies and materials are specified in order to maximise the impact on reducing carbon consumption. Many projects are also able to employ passive design approaches including natural ventilation and improved insulation to actively reduce consumption in summer and winter conditions.

b) How does what is being proposed consider the need to adapt to climate change, and be resilient to its longer term impacts?

The proposals seek to provide compact and energy-efficient building envelopes. Any new build or extensions will meet current building regulations standards for thermal performance. Where possible, appropriate sustainable materials will be employed to reduce the environmental impact of the proposals.