Agenda item

This report presents a proposal to develop a Post-16 Skills Resource Centre for young people and young adults with special educational needs. The proposed Post-16 Skills Resource Centre is outlined in the School Place Planning Strategy 2019-23 refresh, approved by Cabinet in November 2021, and is included within the local partnership SEND Strategy 2021-25.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

(1)     Approve the development of the Welsh Harp Centre for a Post-16 Skills Centre as detailed in this report, on the basis of the funding model to meet the Welsh Harp Centre revenue costs as detailed in Section 4 of the report, recognising the invest to save benefits of the proposal.

(2)     Agree that £3m capital cost for the Welsh Harp project is funded from the High Needs Capital Grant.

(3)     Agree to delegate authority to the Corporate Director, Children and Young People, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools to approve the Capital Project Business Case.

(4)     Agree in principle to the proposal to develop the Airco Close site for both special school provision and the Post-16 Skills Resource Centre. This is subject to discussions with the Compass Learning Partnership and the London Regional Director for Education regarding satellite special school provision on the Airco Close site.

(5)     Note that officers will return to Cabinet with a detailed business case for the Airco Close development proposal based on the outcome of feasibility work for the Post-16 Skills Resource Centre and special school provision.

Councillor Grahl (Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Schools) introduced the report detailing a proposal for the development of a Post-16 Skills Resource Centre for young people and young adults with special educational needs.

In introducing the report, members were advised that the Resource Centre had been outlined in the School PlacePlanning Strategy 2019-23 refresh, approved by Cabinet in November 2021and also included within the local partnership SEND Strategy 2021-25.  The intended approach was for the Resource Centre to operate from two sites one located in Welsh Harp Centre, which it was intended to develop to provide a horticultural facility with work experience and volunteering opportunities and the second based in the new facilities to be provided on the Airco Close site in Kingsbury offering a creative and cultural skills and independent living centre alongside an expansion of the special school provision.

In highlighting their support for the proposals, Cabinet recognised the way in which they had been designed to address the increasing need for in-borough provision for young people with SEND and complex learning difficulties aligned with local priorities in the 2023-27 Borough Plan, Brent SEND Strategy, Youth Strategy and Health & Wellbeing Strategy.  Cabinet also commended the way the proposals had been co-produced working with young people, parents and carers and developed in consultation with the local community and with the support of ward councillors.  Having noted the benefits of the access which the Centre would provide to a range of support services and skills, as detailed in section 3.7 and 3.8 of the report, particularly in relation to enterprise, employment, education and training opportunities, Cabinet were keen to recognise the positive impacts these would have in addressing levels of need identified and also in improving outcomes for older children and young people in terms of being able to successfully transition from adolescence to adulthood and in being able to work and live independently as active members of the community.

As a result, Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)    To approve the development of the Welsh Harp Centre for a Post-16 Skills Centre as detailed in this report, on the basis of the funding model to meet the Welsh Harp Centre revenue costs as detailed in Section 4 of the report, recognising the invest to save benefits of the proposal.

(2)    To agree that the £3m capital cost for the Welsh Harp project was funded from the High Needs Capital Grant.

(3)    To agree to delegate authority to the Corporate Director, Children and Young People, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools to approve the Capital Project Business Case.

(4)    To agree in principle to the proposal to develop the Airco Close site for both special school provision and the Post-16 Skills Resource Centre. This was subject to discussions with the Compass Learning Partnership and the London Regional Director for Education regarding satellite special school provision on the Airco Close site.

(5)    To note that officers would return to Cabinet with a detailed business case for the Airco Close development proposal based on the outcome of feasibility work for the Post-16 Skills Resource Centre and special school provision.