Agenda item

A report from the Executive Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services and the Executive Director of Children’s Services is attached. (Key decision – reference number 4594)

(Report No.165)

(8.30 – 8.35 pm)

Councillor Ayfer Orhan (Cabinet Member for Education, Children’s Services and Protection) introduced the report of the Executive Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services and the Executive Director of Children’s Services (No.165) setting out the approach to the provision of school places for Enfield residents and updating the strategy for the provision of places.

NOTED

1.    The Council had planned and had successfully delivered additional school places to meet demand, and would continue to deliver.

2.    The strategy had been highly successful, and mitigated against uncertain conditions.

3.    There was no child without the offer of a school place in Enfield.

4.    Eventualities had been planned for and officers made alternative arrangements with existing schools to meet demand.

5.    More places were being delivered for special need provision, to meet increased demand.

6.    A report would be brought forward should there be a change required in School Expansion Programme capital budgets for 2017/18 to 2018/19.

7.    There were a number of demographic changes in the borough and a constant watch would be kept to ensure that Enfield’s policies met demand and that school places were accurately delivered.

8.    In response to Members’ queries, the legislation relating to new school building and the limits on local authorities’ powers were confirmed.

9.    In respect of every child getting a place of their choice, it was advised that c.90% gained one of their first three choice schools in Enfield, but it was also important that parents understood the principles around selection of schools, and that school provision in Enfield was good.

10.Councillor Orhan expressed her gratitude and sincere thanks to Tony Theodoulou (Executive Director of Children’s Services) and Keith Rowley (Director of School Expansions and Asset Management Support) and all the officers in the team for their excellent work and making sure there were effective plans in place.

Alternative Options Considered: NOTED that Enfield Council had a statutory responsibility to provide the necessary school places. The School Expansion Programme (SEP) creates a mechanism to assist with the delivery of extra capacity required. Failure to provide enough school places was not an option. The following proposals had been considered but rejected:

·         Complete reliance on additional capacity from new free schools or existing free school/academy expansions. There was no guarantee that high quality providers would come forward with proposals for new schools that the ESFA would then accept and then deliver, this was particularly true for Special Schools. The Council would continue to work with the ESFA and current providers that provide high quality services and contribute to the wider education community in the borough to assess potential expansion opportunities.

DECISION: The Cabinet

1.            Agreed the continuation of the school expansion programme, with the focus on special provision and high needs pupil places in both primary and secondary phases.

2.            Agreed the increase capacity in special schools and establishments that provide education services for some of the most acute special need categories subject to further approval for the manner in which this was to be achieved.

3.            Noted that the SEP capital budgets for 2017/18 to 2018/19 were maintained at £27.4 million (section 6.1 of the report referred), funded entirely from Central Government grants. Any budget revision was to be updated by separate report(s) brought forward as necessary on any land acquisitions required to facilitate provision of extra places and/or the need to increase budgets from Council resources.

4.            Agreed to support continued delegated authority to the Cabinet Member for Education, Children’s Services and Protection in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Efficiency:

(a)  The individual schools, sites and preferred partners for expansions, and decisions on statutory requirements, to meet the demand for extra pupil places, both mainstream and special, up to 2021/22.

(b)  Conducting suitable procurement exercises and either calling off EU-compliant framework agreements or conducting suitable procurement exercises, entering into contractual arrangements with successful contractors and placing orders for any capital works required for the projects; and

(c)  Conducting any necessary land transactions, including acquisitions by way of freehold or leasehold up to the value of £500,000, as individual schemes were developed.

5.            Agreed to support continued delegated authority to the Executive Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services in consultation with the Assistant Director Education:

(a)  Programme management arrangements and operational resourcing, including procurement of any required support services.

(b)  Commencing feasibility or initial design to inform pre-application discussions with planning and procurement of resources for this activity.

(c)  Cost estimates, budgets and spend for projects in advance of updates to the Capital Programme.

(d)  Submission of planning applications.

(e)  The appropriate procurement routes for professional support services and construction for individual schemes.

6.            Noted that if options for schemes could not be progressed then alternative options would need to be brought forward for decision and inclusion on the Council’s Capital Programme.

Reason: The Council had an overriding statutory duty to provide sufficient pupil places to meet anticipated demand. This report set out the proposed strategy and delivery arrangements to oversee delivery arrangements for schools with funding secured for expansion, to further develop options for expansion by conducting feasibility studies and consultation with the schools identified and to secure funding through opportunities that became available. This strategy and delivery arrangements would deliver the additional reception places required in the areas of highest demand up to 2020. The expanded capacity aims to provide a higher level of flexibility built in to counter sudden increases in demand.

(Key decision – reference number 4594)