Issue - meetings

The number of children and young people assessed as requiring a place at a specialist education provision in the BCP area has increased in recent years.  Local provision to meet these needs is of high quality, but capacity has not been expanded sufficiently to meet this additional demand.  As a result, increased use has had to be made of local Independent and Non-Maintained special schools which are comparatively expensive and often located outside of the BCP area.  The result of this has been significant pressure on the school Transport budget.  

In partnership with the BCP community of schools, a range of proposals have been developed to increase capacity and create new provision to meet the needs of these pupils.  These will both deliver savings and ensure appropriate provision is available to meet needs closer to where children and young people live.  Proposed projects were considered and agreed by Cabinet on the 22/4/20.  The Children’s Capital Strategy was agreed by Cabinet 27/5/20, it identified additional projects / pressures not included in the draft Strategy but which may also require funding in the future; this included converting the Bournemouth Learning Centre (BLC) building into a school [and engaging an externa provider to operate the school].  This paper requests that funds are released to meet the cost of converting the BLC into a school.  Resources are available to support this investment from existing DfE ring-fenced grant allocations for this purpose.

RESOLVED that:-

(a)         the proposal to convert the Bournemouth Learning Centre building into a school in order to create additional capacity to meet the assessed educational needs of children and young people in BCP be approved;

(b)         the allocation of £0.5m Basic Need Grant funding to support the delivery of this proposal be approved; and

(c)         the Corporate Property Officer (in consultation with the Corporate Director, Chief Finance Officer and Monitoring Officer) be delegated authority to take the necessary steps to recover possession of the BLC from third parties currently occupying part of the Bournemouth Learning Centre.

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

(d)          approve the disposal of the Bournemouth Learning Centre [through a lease to an external provider] at an undervalue of up to £700k, subject to the education provider’s significant change process and site acquisition being agreed, and delegate authority to the Corporate Property Officer to agree the terms and enter into the lease, subject to education provider’s significant change process being agreed.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Children and Families

Reason

To enable the creation of additional capacity to meet the assessed educational needs of children and young people and reduce pressure on the High Needs Budget.

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 'G' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet were advised that the number of children and young people assessed as requiring a place at a specialist education provision in the BCP area has increased in recent years, and that local provision to meet these needs is of high quality, but capacity has not been expanded sufficiently to meet this additional demand.  As a result, increased use has had to be made of local Independent and Non-Maintained special schools which are comparatively expensive and often located outside of the BCP area.  The result of this has been significant pressure on the school Transport budget.  

Further to this Cabinet were advised that in partnership with the BCP community of schools, a range of proposals have been developed to increase capacity and create new provision to meet the needs of these pupils.  These will both deliver savings and ensure appropriate provision is available to meet needs closer to where children and young people live.  Proposed projects were considered and agreed by Cabinet on the 22/4/20.  The Children’s Capital Strategy was agreed by Cabinet 27/5/20, it identified additional projects / pressures not included in the draft Strategy but which may also require funding in the future; this included converting the Bournemouth Learning Centre (BLC) building into a school [and engaging an externa provider to operate the school].  This paper requests that funds are released to meet the cost of converting the BLC into a school.  Resources are available to support this investment from existing DfE ring-fenced grant allocations for this purpose.

In closing the Portfolio Holder advised that this decision would enable the creation of additional capacity to meet the assessed educational needs of children and young people and reduce pressure on the High Needs Budget.

Cabinet Members spoke in support of the scheme stressing the importance of the additional provision.

RESOLVED that:-

(a)         the proposal to convert the Bournemouth Learning Centre building into a school in order to create additional capacity to meet the assessed educational needs of children and young people in BCP be approved;

(b)         the allocation of £0.5m Basic Need Grant funding to support the delivery of this proposal be approved; and

(c)         the Corporate Property Officer (in consultation with the Corporate Director, Chief Finance Officer and Monitoring Officer) be delegated authority to take the necessary steps to recover possession of the BLC from third parties currently occupying part of the Bournemouth Learning Centre.

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

(d)          approve the disposal of the Bournemouth Learning Centre [through a lease to an external provider] at an undervalue of up to £700k, subject to the education provider’s significant change process and site acquisition being agreed, and delegate authority to the Corporate Property Officer to agree the terms and enter into the lease, subject to education provider’s significant change process being agreed.

Voting: Unanimous  ...  view the full minutes text for item 187