Issue - items at meetings - Carter Expansion Project Update

This report seeks to update Cabinet on the partnership arrangements that are proposed to enable the Carter Community School expansion project to progress It also recommends a financial package, requiring contributions from the Council and ULT, to facilitate the completion of the project to an acceptable standard to enable the statutory function of pupil place planning to be delivered.

United Learning Academy Trust have issued the following statement in respect of the proposed financial strategy within this report

“United Learning are wholly supportive of the strategy mapped out by BCP and shared with us prior to the Project Board meeting on 17^th December 2019. We have reallocated funding from our 2019-20 and 20-21 funding streams to undertake the elements of work identified as being outside of the BCP funding plan and hope that the entire project can be completed in a reasonable timescale from here.”

RESOLVED that:-

(a) Cabinet note that ULT have committed £379k to complete works to refurbish science rooms and toilet facilities;

(b) Cabinet approve the allocation of £224k from the unallocated Basic Need Contingency to part fund the completion of the Technology Block;

(c) Cabinet approve the application in principle to access early draw down of future Basic Needs capital resources from the ESFA of up to £0.55M to facilitate the completion funding of the Technology Block. This £0.55M being part of the formulaic £4.1M that is due to be allocated to BCP in the financial year 2020/21;

(d) Cabinet noted ULT will seek to identify further available capital resources from their annual formulaic allocation to complete outstanding works over the course of the next three financial years;

(e) Cabinet approve the revised financial strategy for this project as set out at Appendix B of the report;

(f) Cabinet agreed that a formal legal agreement be drawn up between the parties committing to the financial strategy and commitment of both parties ahead of any monies being released to ULT in respect of the Technology Block.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Children and Families

Reason

The purpose of this report is to update Cabinet of the key financial issues relating to this project. Further, to seek approval for the proposed financial strategy to enable this project to be completed to an appropriate standard. This will enable the required increase in capacity at the school in order to accommodate an additional 300 pupil places to meet pupil place planning projections.

The Portfolio Holder for Children and Families presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'H' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The report updated Cabinet on the partnership arrangements that are proposed to enable the Carter Community School expansion project to progress. In addition the report recommended the financial package, requiring contributions from the Council and ULT, to facilitate the completion of the project to an acceptable standard to enable the statutory function of pupil place planning to be delivered.

Cabinet were advised that the United Learning Academy had issued a statement in respect of the proposed financial strategy within the report wholly supporting the strategy.