Decision details

The Cabinet Member:

1. Authorised the Council to act as the Responsible Body for the self-delivery of the design and build of Manor Drive Primary Academy and Manor Drive Secondary Academy and enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for Education to enable a feasibility study to be completed and a capital budget to be set by the DfE.

 2. Authorised the Executive Director People and Communities to enter into a Pre-Construction Services Agreement (to include the completion of early works) and subsequently award the design and build contract to the successful DfE Contractors Framework Panel Member.

3. Authorised the Head of Legal Services or delegated officers to enter into any legal documentation on behalf of the Council in relation to this matter.

4. Authorised the Head of Legal Services or delegated officers to enter into a Development Agreement with the DfE and 4C’s Multi Academy Trust, and grant a 125 year lease of the school sites to 4C’s Multi Academies Trust after the defects liability period for the school buildings has expired. 5. Authorise the Executive Director People and Communities to enter into additional agreements if required by the DfE to facilitate the opening of the new schools by 4C’s Multi Academies Trust.

The Local Authority has a statutory duty to provide school places. There are significant pressures on the city to provide school places in the areas most in need. A review of demographic data, build out and occupation rates for new dwellings at Paston Reserve has informed the decision to open new schools upon land subject to a Section 106 Agreement.

 As a result of the above, the proposed scheme will:

- provide up to 420 new primary school places, 26 nursery places and 900 secondary places for children living in the Paston Reserve area

- the school will open on an incremental basis offering places to reception and year 7 children only in September 2022

 - to be delivered following successful Wave 12 and Wave 13 free school bids submitted by 4C’s Academies Trust to the Department for Education and procured via the DfE Contractor’s Framework and grant funded by the DfE

The following options were considered and rejected:

To do nothing. This option was rejected due to the Local Authority’s statutory duty to provide sufficient school places. Demography analysis, build out and occupation rates for the new dwellings at Paston Reserve/Manor Drive demonstrate a need for the additional school and nursery places from September 2022.

To tender outside of the DfE Framework. This option was rejected due to the expectations on Responsible Bodies self-delivering free schools. The DfE Construction Framework was established specifically for the delivery of school projects and offers specialist advice to framework users. Panel Members are approved by the DfE for school build delivery as set out in the Output Specification for schools.

None.

School Organisation Plan 18-19

Medium Term Financial Strategy