Education and Lifelong Learning Committee

Monday 8 May 2006 at 1.00 pm

Present:  Provost Rebecchi, Councillors Blair, Forbes, Gallacher, Hill, McCabe, McKenzie, Mitchell, Robertson, Tucker and White, Father M McMahon, Rev W Armstrong and Rev C McGranaghan, Church Representatives, Mr R Henderson, Parent Representative and Mr T Tracey, Teacher Representative.

Chair:  Councillor Mitchell presided.

In attendance:  Chief Executive, Director of Education Services, Head of Pre-5 and Children’s Services, Head of SEN and IT, Head of Planning and Resources, Head of Support for Learning, Dr N Lawrie, Acting Head of Service, Solicitor to the Council, Chief Financial Officer, Mr A Gerrard (for Head of Property Services) and Managing Solicitor (Committees/Contracts).

Apologies:  Councillor Snoddy.

The following paragraph is submitted for confirmation or otherwise.

358

Update on the School Asset Management Strategy

358

There was submitted a report by the Director of Education Services (1) on the current progress in respect of the Education Asset Management Strategy, (2) advising of the revised timescale for the Prudential and PPP components of the plan, (3) requesting the Committee to note the increase in capital costs for the two new prudential schools, the revised costs for the PPP component of the plan and the resultant impact on the funding model and (4) requesting the Committee to agree the scope of the PPP and the funding model subject to approval by The Inverclyde Council.

Following discussion Councillor Mitchell moved:-

(1)      that the Committee note:-

(a)      the current position in respect of the capital, prudential and PPP components of the School Asset Management Strategy;

(b)      the revised timetable for the prudentially funded new primary and secondary schools;

(c)      the increase in the costs of the prudentially funded schools and the implications of the costs on the PPP funded new schools and the remainder of the modernisation programme;

(d)      the details of the report on school swimming pools and the proposal by the Corporate Management Team that pools be excluded from the new schools;

(e)      the implications of cost increases in the overall Funding Model;  and

(f)       that the period of the strategy would increase from 11 to 13 years;

(2)      that the impact on Reserves as detailed in the report be noted and referred to The Inverclyde Council for approval;

(3)      that the requirement for funding in the order of £900,000 for roads infrastructure over 2007/2010 be noted and that this be referred to The Inverclyde Council for approval;

(4)      that to gain maximum revenue support for the PPP component of the programme, the PPP comprise two new secondary schools and two new primary schools and that one of the new primary schools be transferred to the Prudential component of the programme on the basis of option C as detailed in Section 7 of the report;:

(5)      that a 3% indexation be applied to the Non-HRA Capital Allocation from 2008/09 onwards and that this be referred to The Inverclyde Council for approval;

(6)      that it be agreed to reinvest net Capital Receipts in the overall Funding Model and that this be referred to The Inverclyde Council for approval;

(7)      that the proposal made by the Corporate Management Team that swimming pools be excluded from the accommodation requirements of the new secondary schools be approved;

(8)      that the revised costs for each component of the programme be included within the Funding Model and that this be referred to The Inverclyde Council for approval;

(9)      that delegated authority be granted to the Solicitor to the Council in consultation with the Convener, Vice-Convener and a Member of the Minority Groups to accept the lowest acceptable tender for the extension to Inverkip Primary School, provided that the total cost of the project does not exceed £1.3m;

(10)    that it be remitted to the Solicitor to the Council to arrange for the invitation of tenders for the Prudentially funded Primary and Secondary Schools Project;

(11)    that it be noted that once the necessary approvals had been agreed, an update would be forwarded to the Scottish Executive in the form of a Pre-OJEU key stage review;  and

(12)    that a report be submitted on the maintenance works which require to be carried out at Notre Dame and St Columba’s High Schools prior to closure of the schools.

As an amendment Mr Tracey moved:-

(1)   that the Committee reject the conclusions set out in para 9.1 of the report that Option C be the preferred option and referred to The Inverclyde Council for approval;

(2)   that the Committee reject the details of the report on school swimming pools and the Corporate Management Team proposal that pools be excluded from new schools;

(3)   that the Committee not agree to the Corporate Management Team proposal that swimming pools be excluded from the accommodation requirements of the new secondary schools;  and

(4)   that Option B as set out in the report be agreed and referred to The Inverclyde Council for approval.

The Labour Group representatives asked that it be recorded that while they would not be making an amendment to the motion, this was not an indication of support for the proposals made by the Liberal Democrat Group.

On a vote 3 Members voted for the amendment and 9 for the motion which was declared carried.

Decided:

(1)      that the Committee note:-

(a)      the current position in respect of the capital, prudential and PPP components of the School Asset Management Strategy;

(b)      the revised timetable for the prudentially funded new primary and secondary schools;

(c)      the increase in the costs of the prudentially funded schools and the implications of the costs on the PPP funded new schools and the remainder of the modernisation programme;

(d)      the details of the report on school swimming pools and the proposal by the Corporate Management Team that pools be excluded from the new schools;

(e)      the implications of cost increases in the overall Funding Model;  and

(f)       that the period of the strategy would increase from 11 to 13 years;

(2)      that the impact on Reserves as detailed in the report be noted and referred to The Inverclyde Council for approval;[

(3)      that the requirement for funding in the order of £900,000 for roads infrastructure over 2007/2010 be noted and that this be referred to The Inverclyde Council for approval;

(4)      that to gain maximum revenue support for the PPP component of the programme, the PPP comprise two new secondary schools and two new primary schools and that one of the new primary schools be transferred to the Prudential component of the programme on the basis of option C as detailed in Section 7 of the report;

(5)      that a 3% indexation be applied to the Non-HRA Capital Allocation from 2008/09 onwards and that this be referred to The Inverclyde Council for approval;

(6)      that it be agreed to reinvest net Capital Receipts in the overall Funding Model and that this be referred to The Inverclyde Council for approval;

(7)      that the proposal made by the Corporate Management Team that swimming pools be excluded from the accommodation requirements of the new secondary schools be approved;

(8)      that the revised costs for each component of the programme be included within the Funding Model and that this be referred to The Inverclyde Council for approval;

(9)      that delegated authority be granted to the Solicitor to the Council in consultation with the Convener, Vice-Convener and a Member of the Minority Groups to accept the lowest acceptable tender for the extension to Inverkip Primary School, provided that the total cost of the project does not exceed £1.3m;

(10)    that it be remitted to the Solicitor to the Council to arrange for the invitation of tenders for the Prudentially funded Primary and Secondary Schools Project;

(11)    that it be noted that once the necessary approvals had been agreed, an update would be forwarded to the Scottish Executive in the form of a Pre-OJEU key stage review;  and

(12)    that a report be submitted on the maintenance works which require to be carried out at Notre Dame and St Columba’s High Schools prior to closure of the schools.

Mr Tracey asked that his dissent at this decision be recorded.