Issue - meetings

The Portfolio Holder introduced providing an update on the delivery and future planning of the Council’s Basic Need Capital Programme that supported the provision of sufficient pupil places through improvements to and extensions of Bromley Schools.

The Council received Basic Need Capital Grant from the Department for Education (DfE) to support the delivery of sufficient school places, with a total of £70.9m so far allocated for 2011-2018.  In addition, the Basic Need capital programme also included capital contributions from a range of other capital funding programmes including Seed Challenge, Access Initiate and Suitability, along with Section 106 contributions.

There were currently schemes to the value of £82.8m either completed or projects in delivery (funded).  These had been allocated £71.7m from the Basic Need Capital Scheme and £10.9m from other sources.  There was currently a £0.5m budget shortfall for these schemes, but this could  be covered by the programme contingency.  There was currently insufficient funding provided by the DfE and other sources to deliver all the schemes within the Basic Need Programme.  A new category of scheme in development (unfunded) had been added for schemes where they were being entered into the main delivery programme with constriction subject to funds becoming available.  Design development of schemes not in the delivery phase (funded or unfunded) of the programme would continue, but schemes would not be brought forward for delivery until funding was available.

A planning application had been submitted for works at Bishop Justus School and Trinity CE Primary School.  It was envisaged that this would provide additional capacity for future bulge classes at Bishop Justus School and act as a first step towards a 2FE expansion at the school and allow for the future expansion of Trinity CE Primary to 4FE.

RESOLVED: That the Portfolio Holder be recommended to

i)   Approve the updated list of schemes as outlined at section Appendix 1;

ii)   Agree the procurement of individual schemes within the Basic Need Programme through traditional procurement, the Lewisham Modular Buildings Framework or through the devolution of Basic Need Capital Grant to schools and to delegate authority to the Director of Education in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Education for the award of contracts up to a value of £500,000 for individual schemes procured through these routes; and,

  iii)   Authorise the Director of Education to seek planning permission through the relevant schools planning strategy for schemes at the appropriate time when required.