Decision details

The Cabinet Member, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources:

Authorised the Executive Director, Resources to approve the construction of new school buildings and the refurbishment and remodelling of existing buildings to accommodate the expansion of Thorpe Primary School up to the value of the budget sum of £3.1m, subject to the Council obtaining consent pursuant to section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1988. This sum shall include the anticipated design and build contract costs of £2.9m and funding for Information and Communications Technology (ICT), all site surveys and project management and technical advisers fees.

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

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.  The decision to expand Thorpe Primary School was made by the Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and University following review of demographic data as part of the School Organisation Plan 2012-2017.

As a result of the above, Thorpe Primary School is expanding to four forms of entry. The proposed scheme will :

-           Provide 7 new classrooms located in two blocks at the rear of the existing school building

-           Re-configure the car parking at the school to maximise the number of spaces available

-           Re-configure and extend the administration area of the school to include office space for administrational staff and senior staff

-           Upgrade the school kitchen to ensure it can cater for the additional intake

The existing Nursery block located at the school site will remain unchanged.

The following options were considered and rejected:

To do nothing. This option was rejected due to the shortage of primary pupil places in the area and the Local Authority’s statutory duty to provide sufficient school places.

Other schools within the area were considered for expansion but rejected by the Children’s Services Capital Projects Board, as demographic data demonstrates the need for expansion in the catchment area of Thorpe Primary School. 

Tender separately for the works ie, do not use the batched contract arrangement. If the batched contract arrangement with Carillion was not to be used this would mean that the Council would have to spend some 3 - 4 months procuring a contractor to build the new school. The batched arrangement obviates the need for such a procurement exercise and enables the Council to deliver the additional accommodation required for September 2014.

None.

School Organisation Plan 2012-2017