Agenda item

A report from the Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services will be circulated as soon as possible. (Report No.190, agenda part two also refers) (Key decision – reference number 4065)

(Report No.186)

(8.55 – 9.00 pm)

Councillor Doug Taylor (Leader of the Council) introduced the report of the Director of Schools and Children’s Services and Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services (No.186) proposing the approach to the acquisition of Land at Chase Farm Hospital to provide extra primary school places within the North Central Pupil Place Planning Area of the Borough.

NOTED

1.               That Report No.190 also referred, as detailed in Minute No.23 below.

2.               That authority had previously been granted to enter into negotiations to acquire the freehold interest of up to five acres of land of the 12 acre site at the Chase Farm Hospital, as set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report.

3.               The need for additional primary school places in the North Central planning area had been identified in the July 2014 Cabinet report on school places as one additional form of entry required in September 2015 then a further form of entry by September 2019 to maintain enough surplus capacity to support parental choice. At that point the plans for housing development at Chase Farm were not known and it was estimated that this would create demand for one more primary form of entry. The total forecast demand was for an additional three forms of primary entry (paragraph 1.8 of the report referred).

4.               That a planning application by the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust was due to be considered by the Planning Committee at its meeting on 12 March 2015 in respect of the Chase Farm Hospital Site.

5.               Approval was being sought for the acquisition of land up to maximum total acquisition budget, as set out in this and the part two report (Minute No. 23 below also referred).

6.               The implications for the Targeted Basic Need funding that had been granted to the Council as set out in section 3 of the report. It had been agreed by the Education Funding Agency and the Minister for Education that this funding could be redirected to the Chase Farm Hospital site and could be used to resource land acquisition. The funding would need to be spent by the end of August 2015.

Alternative Options Considered: Not trying to acquire the land was considered a lost opportunity to add flexibility to the education portfolio. Officers had considered using other education facilities owned by the Council for expansion to try and increase the number of forms of entry. Many of these were too small and on restricted sites and some sites were earmarked for other types of development. Several sites not in the Council’s ownership were also considered, but many of these were too costly given their residential potential or the land owner was unwilling to enter into formal discussions with the Council. At the appendices were the results of an extensive sequential test for alternative sites and expansion areas.

DECISION: The Cabinet

1.               Agreed to authorise the Council’s acquisition of the freehold interest in the parcels of land owned by the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust on the terms detailed within the part 2 report (Minute No.23 below refers) and further approves the total acquisition budget also detailed within the part 2 report and:

(a)  Approved the release of funds from the Schools and Children’s Services Capital Programme to an upper limit as detailed within the part 2 report for the acquisition of land.

(b)  Agreed to delegate authority to the Cabinet Members for Finance and Education, Children’s Services and Protection in conjunction with the Directors of Finance, Resources and Customer Services and Schools and Children’s Services to approve the final terms and structure of the transaction in accordance with the Council’s Property Procedure Rules.

(c)  Agreed to delegate authority to the Directors of Finance, Resources and Customer Services and Schools and Children’s Services for approval to procure and approval of expenditure for pre-construction services up to the award of contract of final build contractor for the permanent school at Chase Farm in order to meet the opening deadlines for the school intake.

(d)  Agreed to delegate authority to the Cabinet Members for Finance and Education, Children’s Services and Protection in conjunction with the Directors of Finance, Resources and Customer Services and Schools and Children’s Services to approve the award of contract of final build contractor(s) for both the permanent and temporary schools at Chase Farm in order to meet the opening deadlines for the school intake.

2.               Agreed to delegate authority to the Director of Schools and Children’s Services to submit a detailed planning application for the redevelopment of the site.

Reason: This was a rare opportunity in the Enfield property market. The acquisition would mean that there would be a sufficient supply of pupil places to match the anticipated demand within the North Central Pupil Planning Area for several years to come. This was the only viable site now and in the future that could support a 3FE Primary school that would come forward in this Pupil Planning Area to satisfy the need. The acquisition of the Chase Farm School Site(s) would satisfy the requirements for space standards as set out within the guidance set by the Department for Education (BB103).

(Key decision – reference number 4065)