Decision details

The Cabinet will be provided with an update on demand for school places, new school provision / expansion projects and the latest funding issues and asked to approve appropriate proposals.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Note the actions being taken by officers to identify additional school places across the Borough to meet further demand pressures and the ongoing discussions relating to future provision in the Council’s Local Plan;

(ii)  Approve the proposed changes and allocations of funding as set out in paragraphs 6.2 and 6.3 of the report, to support the provision of new places and improvements;

(iii)  Delegate authority to the Strategic Director, Children and Adults, acting on advice from the Procurement Board, to approve the final procurement strategies for Additional Resource Provisions referred to in section 6 of the report;

(iv)  Delegate authority to the Strategic Director, Children and Adults, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement and the Chief Legal Officer, to conduct the procurements and award the respective project contracts; and

(v)  Note that in accordance with the School Admissions Code 2021, a six-week public consultation was undertaken on the Council’s intention to continue with its existing school admission arrangements for 2023/24 and no adverse comments were received.