Agenda item

A report from the Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services and the Chief Education Officer is attached. This provides a strategy and solution to the rising need in school places for the Autistic Spectrum Disorder cohort of pupils within the Borough. (Report No.156, agenda part two also refers)  (Key decision – reference number 4209)

(Report No.154)

(8.40 – 8.45 pm)

Councillor Ayfer Orhan (Cabinet Member for Education, Children’s Services and Protection) introduced the report of the Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services and the Chief Education Officer (No.154) providing a strategy and solution to the rising need in school places for the Autistic Spectrum Disorder cohort of pupils in the Borough.

NOTED

1.               That Report No.156 also referred as detailed in Minute No.12 below.

2.               That the report sought agreement to the strategy which would allow additional school places for children and young people and provide an opportunity to stay within the Borough, as detailed in the report. Authority was sought for the freehold acquisition of the former Minchenden School site to fulfil the requirements of the rising ASD places that were needed in the Borough.

3.               That a further report to Cabinet and Council was anticipated for July 2016, outlining the detailed business case to support the delivery proposals.

4.               The detail provided within figures 4 and 5 of the report setting out the cumulative cost avoidance over the course of a six year period of providing the required places within the borough rather than out-borough. The annual cost difference in year 6 was projected to be £3,988,241 and the accumulated difference £13,511,511.

Alternative Options Considered: NOTED the alternative options which had been considered as set out in section 5 of the report.

DECISION: The Cabinet agreed the following decisions and recommendations to full Council:

1.               Noted the rise and demand for places at the higher end of the Autistic Disorder Spectrum and associated costs.

2.               Agreed to approve the Council’s acquisition of the freehold interest in the land and buildings that form all of Minchenden School (as shown in appendix 1 of the report) which were owned by the Barnet and Southgate College on the terms detailed within the part 2 report (Report No.156, Minute No.12 below referred) and further approved, subject to the approval of Council, the total acquisition budget also detailed within the part 2 report and:

(i)              To recommend that Council approve the addition of funds to the Capital Programme as detailed in the part 2 report for the acquisition of land and;

(ii)             To recommend that Council approve the addition of funds to the Capital Programme as detailed within the part 2 report for the additional feasibility work to the Farbey Building, the Mews Building and part of Leigh Hunt Drive Car Park for the Minchenden ASD Provision.

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

3.               Agreed to approve in principal (subject to feasibility and a further report to Cabinet) the Council’s redevelopment options of Southgate Circus Library and approves the option on Southgate House as detailed within the part 2 report, and:

(i)              To recommend that Council approve the addition of funds to the Capital Programme as detailed within the part 2 report to carry out the detailed feasibility of associated Council assets as shown in appendix 2 of the part 2 report.

(ii)             Agreed to approve the grant of a 125 year lease to Barnet and Southgate College for accommodation of 1,000sqm on the Southgate Circus Library site at a premium noted in the part 2 report.

(iii)            Agreed to approve the Public Library function to relocate to Barnet and Southgate College’s Learning Resource Unit at Southgate College with delegated authority to the Cabinet Member for Education, Children’s Services and Protection conjunction with the Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services to approve the final structure of the partnership.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL to approve

1.               The addition of funds to the Capital Programme as detailed within the part 2 report (Report No.156, Minute No. 12 below referred) for the acquisition of land and:

2.               The addition of funds to the Capital Programme as detailed within the part 2 report for the additional feasibility work to the Farbey Building, the Mews Building and part of Leigh Hunt Drive Car Park for the Minchenden ASD Provision.

3.               The addition of funds to the Capital Programme as detailed within the part 2 report to carry out the detailed feasibility of associated Council assets as shown in Appendix 2 to the part 2 report.

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 Borough for several years to come. This was the only viable site now available and possibly in the future that could support this type of need. The acquisition of the Minchenden site would satisfy the requirements for space standards as set out within the guidance set by the Department for Education. The outline Business Case set out in the part 2 report demonstrated that the funding arrangements for this project were achievable and the Council should explore further with higher level feasibility for each project.

(Key decision – reference number 4209)

Members agreed at this point of the meeting to move into part two and exclude the press and public in order to consider the part two report on this matter, No.156, Minute No.12 below refers.