Issue - items at meetings - Children's Services Capital Programme

The report sets out the capital programme for Children’s Services, including summarising the available funding and approved projects. It provides a brief summary of the status of projects which have been completed or are in progress, and of projects which have not yet been initiated. A review of inclusion practice in BCP schools and a revised special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) strategy is underway, led by the Director of Education. A programme of capital works to help deliver that strategy will be brought forward as part of the 2022/23 budget setting process.

RESOLVED that Cabinet: -

(a) notes that a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) strategy (and associated programme of capital works) will be brought forward as part of the wider children’s capital programme for Council approval in February 2022

RECOMMENDED that Council: -

(b) approves the pausing of the project to create a satellite for Winchelsea School at Somerford Primary School, and agrees to deferring the opening of such a satellite to the school year 2022-23 pending the approval of the SEND strategy and associated capital programme

(c) approves the removal of the existing Somerford Primary School capital budget from the approved capital programme. Council approval will be sought for a revised scheme and costings once completed.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Covid Resilience, Public Health and Education

Reason

This report is intended to inform Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Cabinet of the current status of the children’s services capital programme, including the steps being taken to develop a new special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) strategy including a programme of capital works.

The Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered the report on 21 September 2021. The portfolio holder drew the attention of the committee to the governance arrangements for the capital programme set out in paragraph 26 of the report. The Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommended Cabinet to approve the recommendations contained in the report.

The Portfolio Holder for Covid Resilience, Public Health and Education presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'G' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that the report sets out the capital programme for Children’s Services, including summarising the available funding and approved projects. And in relation to this provides a brief summary of the status of projects which have been completed or are in progress, and of projects which have not yet been initiated.

Further to this Cabinet was informed that a review of inclusion practice in BCP schools and a revised special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) strategy is underway, led by the Director of Education, and that a programme of capital works to help deliver that strategy will be brought forward as part of the 2022/23 budget setting process.