Agenda item

The report requests Cabinet’s approval of the Outline Business Case (OBC) to provide new school buildings for Astley High School and Whytrig Middle School.  An outline capital allocation for investment in Education has already been made within the Council’s medium term capital programme.  The Outline Business Case seeks to confirm the estimate of capital required for the proposed scheme, being £37,097,847.  Comments made by this Committee will be reported to Cabinet when they consider the report on 26 April 2022.

The report, which was presented to this Committee for pre-scrutiny was requesting Cabinet approval of the Outline Business Case to provide new school buildings for Astley High and Whytrig Middle Schools.  An outline capital allocation for investment in education had already been made within the Council’s medium term capital programme.  The outline business case was seeking to confirm the estimate of capital required for the proposed scheme.  A comprehensive introduction to the report was provided by S Aviston, Head of School Organisation and Resources. 

In response to assurances sought by the Committee, Members were advised that the sporting facilities, which included a new swimming pool, on the preferred Option 6 provided additional community benefit in that they would be available for weekend community and sporting groups use. The proposed car parking provision would be a considerable increase in that currently provided, providing both some on-site provision and off-site drop off, staff and  6^th form provision which would be available for public use outside of school hours.  The development would be the first net zero school to be provided in the County making use of new and innovative technology ensuring savings on the running costs of the schools.  A desktop study had indicated that there was nothing of archaeological interest on the proposed site and environmental checks had also been undertaken.

It was confirmed that a right of access would be maintained over the existing 8m wide access which would be used to bring in services for the building and the widening of this access could continue to be pursued.   Inflation costs had been built into the expected outturn budget of just over £37m for option 6, however the £40m allocated in the Council’s medium term capital plan would remain.  An inconsistency in the scoring matrix was highlighted and this would be clarified with the independent surveyor who had undertaken scoring.

It was confirmed that a number of schools sites within the County were leased with the Council having a longstanding relationship with the Hastings Estate.  The lease for the land would be for 125 years which would be in excess of the lifetime of the building.   The detailed design would take into account the Traffic Impact Assessment and as the majority of students who would attend the school would be from catchment, the problems encountered in Ponteland due to pupils travelling from Newcastle, would not be repeated.  Whilst it would be the schools responsibility to provide a School Travel Plan, it would be requested that Local Councillors be involved in its development.

In response to a question regarding the social value in regard to the use of local contractors and provision of apprenticeships, it was clarified that there had been a lot of activity of this nature during the construction of the new high school at Ponteland with some students who had been involved on site going on to careers or training in these areas and it was expected this would be replicated.

Members welcomed the report and progress being made and in conjunction  with C McEvoy-Carr, Executive Director, thanked S Aviston and her Team for the work undertaken on this project. 

RESOLVED that Cabinet be advised that this Committee unanimously supported the recommendations as outlined in the report.