Issue - meetings

Further to Minute 17 (20 June 2017), the Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement presented an update report in respect of the various school expansion projects aimed at addressing the current and future demand for places in the Borough, as well as the latest funding issues.

The Cabinet Member advised that nine new forms of entry had been created during 2017 to accommodate the ongoing rise in pupil numbers in the Borough across both the primary and secondary sectors.  The latest pupil forecast data suggested that primary age pupil numbers (including nursery) would further increase from 28,884 (at May 2017) to 34,012 by the 2027/28 academic year while secondary age pupil numbers (including 6^th form) would increase from 14,546 to 24,210 over the same period.  Responding to the predicted increase, officers had been working closely with School Governing Bodies to draw up a programme of school expansions as well as looking at the areas of the Borough that may need new school provision as regeneration schemes came to fruition.  With regard to the latter, it was noted that funding of £7.0m was proposed to be set aside for new school places in Chadwell Heath should new homes be built on existing industrial sites in the area, although the Cabinet Member pointed out that projects would only be progressed once the need for additional places was confirmed. 

The Cabinet Member also advised on the progress of a number of projects aimed at enhancing facilities and places for children with special educational needs (SEN) and increased Early Years provision.

In response to points raised, the Cabinet Member commented that the Council had a good reputation with the Department for Education (DfE) and the Education Funding Agency for delivering projects on time and on budget, while it was testament to the hard work of officers, school staff and pupils that education attainment levels had been maintained while major expansion projects had been undertaken at many of the Borough’s schools.  The Leader also commented on Barking and Dagenham’s No. 1 ranking in London for offering first choice preferences to pupils for the 2017/18 academic year.

The Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Approve the Future Planning Programme for Basic Need 2017 to 2027 (revised November 2017) as set out at Appendix 1 to the report;

(ii)  Approve the inclusion in the Capital Programme of the various sums and projects associated with changes to the Programme as detailed in section 5 of the report;

(iii)  Delegate authority to the Strategic Director for Service Development and Integration to approve the final procurement strategies for each project following their consideration and endorsement by the Procurement Board, in accordance with the Council’s Contract Rules; and

(iv)  Delegate authority to the Strategic Director for Service Development and Integration, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement, the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Law and Governance, to carry out the procurement and award the respective project contracts.