Decision details

Cllr Patrick Molyneux, Cabinet Member for Economy, Education and Skills, sought approval to establish a 75 place special school for children and young people aged 11-16 year with SEMH needs.

Having considered all of the information, including known proposals, alternative options and reasons for recommendations, Cabinet noted the report and,

RESOLVED to:

Approve the establishment of a new 75 place special school for children and young people aged 11-16 year with SEMH needs and delegate authority to the Director of Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economy, Education and Skills, to:

1.  Hold a free school presumption competition in accordance with the Department for Education’s advice contained in, “The free school presumption” (May 2018) in order to identify a suitable Academy Trust to sponsor the school;

2. Upon conclusion of the competition, recommend to the Secretary of State the findings of the Local Authority’s assessment to enable him to decide upon the most suitable proposer to take forward the new free school;

Delegate authority to the Head of Property Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economy, Education and Skills, to:

3. Acquire the land on which to establish and construct the new special school.

4.  Conduct a procurement process in accordance with rules of a public sector designed and managed framework agreement known as the “GCC procurement framework” for the purpose of awarding (a) a preconstruction design agreement and (b) subject to satisfactory planning permission, a contract for construction works relating to the establishment of a 75 place special school for children and young people aged 11-16 years with SEMH needs.

5.  Use a mini competition process through the GCC procurement framework to determine the Council’s preferred contractor(s).

6.  Upon conclusion of the mini competition to enter into the abovementioned pre construction design and, subject to satisfactory planning permission, a contract for the construction works with the preferred contractor(s) evaluated as offering the Council best value for money and quality for delivery of the new school. In the event that the preferred contractor(s) is either unable or unwilling to enter into that contract(s) with the Council, the Head of Property is authorised to enter into such contract with the next willing highest places and suitably qualified contractor.

Authorise the Director of Education and the Head of Property Services to:

7.  Undertake all ancillary matters to enable the establishment of the 75 place special school for children and young people aged 11-16 years with SEMH needs