Agenda item

Copland Community School (CCS), is currently a foundation school governed by an Interim Executive Board (IEB), scheduled to become a sponsored Academy on 1 September 2014, transferring to ARK Schools (ARK) operating in close relationship with ARK Wembley.  

CCS will receive capital funding as part of the Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP), funded by the Education Funding Authority (EFA).  It is anticipated that a new school will be completed by September 2016 and at that point the school will expand by an additional one Form of Entry (FE). 

This report outlines the work with the EFA and ARK to agree a ‘red line’ plan for the proposed new school building.  There are currently two design options, a baseline EFA design and a Brent formulated design that aims to optimise the fit with and delivery of the aspirations in the Wembley Area Action Plan. Subject to agreement on costs and Cabinet approval, the Brent design option is preferred.

(i)         that approval be given to the Brent design option and associated costs as set out in appendix 4 of the joint report from the Strategic Directors of Regeneration and Growth and Children and Young People;

(ii)        that it be noted that works in connection with the Brent design option would be undertaken by the Education Funding Agency under the Priority School Building Programme;

(iii        that authority be delegated to the Operational Director of Regeneration and Growth (Property and Projects), in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and the Operational Director of Children and Young People to agree the full scope and detail of the Brent design option and final additional costs.

Councillor McLennan (Lead Member, Regeneration and Housing) introduced the report from the Strategic Director, Regeneration and Growth and reminded the Cabinet that Copland Community School, currently a foundation school governed by an Interim Executive Board (IEB), was scheduled to become a sponsored Academy on 1 September 2014, transferring to ARK Schools operating in close relationship with ARK Wembley.  Capital funding would be receivedunder the Priority Schools Building Programme and a new school would be completed by September 2016. Elsley Primary School would benefit from the rationalisation and land ownership arrangements agreed in April 2014, in line with the Wembley Area Action Plan. Councillor McLennan referred to the two design options under consideration for the new building and recommended that Cabinet approve the Brent design option.

The Cabinet also had before them an appendix to the report which was not for publication as it contained the following categories of exempt information as specified in Schedule 12 of the Local Government (Access to Information Act) 1972:

(a)       information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

(b)       information in respect of which a claim for legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

In response to members’ questions, the Strategic Director Regeneration and Growth advised that should the Brent design not be successful, this would need to be the subject of a further report to Cabinet.

RESOLVED:

(i)         that approval be given to the Brent design option and associated costs as set out in appendix 4 of the joint report from the Strategic Directors of Regeneration and Growth and Children and Young People;

(ii)        that it be noted that works in connection with the Brent design option would be undertaken by the Education Funding Agency under the Priority School Building Programme;

(iii)       that authority be delegated to the Operational Director Property and Projects, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and the Operational Director Early Help and Education to agree the full scope and detail of the Brent design option and final additional costs.