Issue - meetings

To consider the joint report of the Director of Children and Families and the Director of City Development which provides an update on the delivery of the Learning Places programme and which seeks approval to spend on previously approved expansion works to Allerton High School and Boston Spa St. Edward’s.

The Director of Children and Families and the Director of City Development submitted a joint report which provided an update on the delivery of the Learning Places programme and which sought approval to spend on previously approved expansion works to Allerton High School and Boston Spa St. Edward’s.

A Member enquired about the levels of charges that had been incurred by the Local Authority arising from PFI schools in Leeds where a Deed of Variation had been obtained, together with information on the related value for money exercises undertaken as part of such processes. In response, officers undertook to provide the relevant details to the Member in question. 

With regard to Special Educational Needs and the circumstances regarding the growth in the number of places required for children and young people with Education and Health Care Plans (ECHP), the Board considered the current position, and responding to a specific enquiry regarding the provision of such places and the processes and timescales by which funding for them was received, the Executive Member invited Board Members to make him aware of any specific cases, so that they could then be investigated.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the progress made to date with the delivery of the Learning Places Programme, be noted; and that the progress being made regarding current schemes in development, the delivery across primary, secondary and SEN provision, together with the forward programme, also be noted;

(b)  That the progress made regarding the Planned Maintenance Programme delivery, together with the changes made to the governance processes in order to support the programme, be noted;

(c)  That the challenges and issues being experienced across the programme, be noted, together with the mitigation measures in place;

(d)  That the request for the ‘Authority to Spend’ £7.3m for the expansion of Allerton High School and £1.1m for the expansion of Boston Spa St. Edward’s, be approved;

(e)  That the reduction of the Risk Fund Allocation from £7.1m to £6.5m, albeit at a rate slightly higher than the 10% of the value of planned schemes, which is in response to current market conditions, be approved.