Issue - meetings

To consider a report by Councillor Gill German, Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Education, Children and Families (copy enclosed) seeking Cabinet approval to submit the draft Strategic Outline Programme for the Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme to the Welsh Government for their consideration.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)      approves the submission of the draft Strategic Outline Programme for the Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme (Appendix 1 to the report) to the Welsh Government for their consideration, and

(b)      confirms that it has read, understood and taken account of the Well-being Impact Assessment (Appendix 3 to the report) as part of its consideration.

Councillor Gill German presented the report seeking Cabinet approval to submit the draft Strategic Outline Programme (SOP) for the Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme to the Welsh Government (WG) for their consideration.

The WG had changed its approach to delivering the Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme (formerly 21st Century Schools), moving away from 5 year bands of investment to a more flexible approach over a longer 9 year time period divided into 3 blocks of 3 years each.  Local authorities had been asked to update their SOP under the new structure with projects essentially ready for business cases to be brought forward in the first 3 years, projects being developed and going through the statutory consultation in the second 3 years and pipeline projects for the final 3 years.  The programmes would be reviewed every 3 years.

The proposals and reasoning behind phasing the Council’s school investment over the next 9 years had been set out in the report and by the Lead Member, in brief –

·       due to delays the 4 Band B projects (Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn, Ysgol Pendref, Ysgol Bryn Collen/Ysgol Gwernant, and Denbigh High School) would not be delivered within the original timescales and given current financial pressures there was a need to reconsider what was affordable over what time period. It was recommended the commitment to developing all 4 Band B projects be retained and incorporated into the new SOP, but the development timescales be reprofiled to spread out the revenue pressures over a longer period

·       an additional project was also proposed to be included in the SOP to be brought forward in the first 3 year timeframe relating to a small extension at Ysgol y Castell which was at risk due to increased costs; its inclusion in the programme would allow it to proceed with no borrowing requirements by the Council with the match funding required being provided by Section 106 developer contributions

·       the Council was required to make a capital contribution to the current Band B projects which would be funded via prudential borrowing.  If all Band B projects rolled over to the first 3 years it was likely that further cuts to services, including delegated school budgets, would be needed to fund the borrowing costs, hence the proposal to stagger that borrowing over a more manageable timeframe

·       as Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn was the most advanced project it was proposed that investment in that school be sought in the first 3 year period with the less advanced Band B projects being included in the second 3 year period (2027 – 2030), and in the final 3 year period (2030 – 2033) consideration would be needed to progress further ambitions dependent on the financial position at the time of the first review in 2027.  It was accepted that the proposal would be a blow to those schools who may need to wait longer for the improvements needed but work would continue towards realising those ambitions as quickly as possible including any interim work that could be progressed in the meantime.

The Corporate Director: Social Services and Education, Head of Education and Principal Manager – School Support were also in attendance for this item.  The Head of Education added that there were difficult and unpopular decisions to be made but given the financial climate it was heartening that the Council’s ambitions for the investment in those schools was being retained over the next number of years.  WG’s expectation for the first 3 year period was for projects that were deliverable within that period to be progressed which was why Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn had been proposed given  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6