Decision details

To agree to the proposed purchase of land at Torre Road/Trent Road owned by Arcadia for the provision of a new secondary school in East Leeds.

Further to Minute No. 177, 20^th March 2019, the Director of City Development and the Director of Children and Families submitted a joint report which looked to bring together three interconnected workstreams that had been progressed following the Board’s previous approval in March 2019 to enter into negotiations with the Arcadia Group Ltd. for the potential acquisition of part of their site at Torre Road for the creation of the new East Leeds Secondary School.  The report set out the current position regarding each of those workstreams and presented the rationale for the requirement of the Council to enter into the final Heads of Terms with Arcadia Group Ltd. for the purchase of the site to ensure the delivery of a new Secondary School for opening in September 2021.

Members provided support for the proposals as detailed within the submitted report and appendices.

Following the consideration of Appendix 1 / A to the submitted report, designated as being exempt from publication under the provisions of Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4(3), which was considered in private at the conclusion of the meeting, it was

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the progress made to date regarding: the negotiations with Arcadia Group Ltd. for the purchase of part of their site for a new secondary school in East Leeds; the free school presumption under the terms set out in the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (section 6A) and the design development of the scheme to date, be noted;

(b)  That approval be given for the Council to enter into the final Heads of Terms for the acquisition of 2.77ha of the unused playing field land at Torre Road owned by Arcadia Group Ltd from REDCASTLE (FREEHOLDS) LIMITED who are part of the Arcadia Group Ltd., for the new East Leeds secondary school; and that approval also be given to authorise the Director of City Development to use his delegated powers to approve the exchange and completion of the contract for the land purchase by the 31^st July 2020;

(c)  That ‘authority to spend’ the amount as detailed within the exempt appendix 1 / A to the submitted report on the purchase of the playing field land at Torre Road owned by Arcadia Group Ltd., be approved.

Briefings

Executive Member for Learning, Skills and Employment

Executive Member for Resources