Agenda item

To consider a joint confidential report by Councillors Julian Thompson-Hill, Lead Member for Finance, Performance and Strategic Assets and Huw Hilditch-Roberts, Lead Member for Education, Children’s Services and Public Engagement (copy enclosed) regarding the 21st Century Schools Welsh Education Partnership – Strategic Partnering Agreement.

Vote taken: 8 in favour, 0 against, 0 abstentions

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)       approves the execution, delivery and performance of the Strategic Partnering Agreement with the Welsh Education Partnership Co in September 2020 to facilitate the delivery of a range of infrastructure services and the delivery of education and community facilities;

(b)       approves the Strategic Partnering Agreement at Appendix A of the report and summarised in Appendix 1 of the report so as to give effect to recommendation 3.1 of the report [resolution (a) above];

(c)        notes that the Strategic Partnering Agreement shall be executed as a deed and attested in accordance with Section 12.5.2 of the Constitution;

(d)       approves the appointment of the Head of Finance and Property as ‘Participant Representative’ to sit on the Strategic Partnering Board (SPB);

(e)       notes that any decision to proceed with a MIM Project in future will be reported back to Cabinet in future report(s) for decision, and

(f)         agrees that the decisions above be implemented immediately in accordance with the Council’s call in procedure rules and urgency contained in the constitution set out in paragraph 8.1 of the report.

Councillors Julian Thompson-Hill and Huw Hilditch-Roberts presented a joint confidential report seeking approval to enter into a Strategic Partnering Agreement with WEPCo Limited to facilitate the delivery of education and community facilities.

The Welsh Government had procured a private sector partner to work with it on the delivery of education and community facilities in Wales under the Mutual Investment Model (MIM) 21st Century Schools Programme.  Details of the partnering agreement and the benefits to Denbighshire joining the agreement were explained and would facilitate the use of the MIM financing model if it was deemed appropriate for future Bands of 21st Century Schools investment.  Cabinet was advised that approval of the report did not assume a position on the merits or not of the funding model and any future proposal to utilise that funding method would be subject to the council’s appropriate decision making channels.  In view of the need for the national agreement to be signed by 25 September it was recommended that the decision to award the contract be implemented immediately.

Officers responded to questions regarding the seat on the Strategic Partnering Board and clarified the provisions for urgent decisions as set out in the constitution.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)       approves the execution, delivery and performance of the Strategic Partnering Agreement with the Welsh Education Partnership Co in September 2020 to facilitate the delivery of a range of infrastructure services and the delivery of education and community facilities;

(b)       approves the Strategic Partnering Agreement at Appendix A of the report and summarised in Appendix 1 of the report so as to give effect to recommendation 3.1 of the report [resolution (a) above];

(c)        notes that the Strategic Partnering Agreement shall be executed as a deed and attested in accordance with Section 12.5.2 of the Constitution;

(d)       approves the appointment of the Head of Finance and Property as ‘Participant Representative’ to sit on the Strategic Partnering Board (SPB);

(e)       notes that any decision to proceed with a MIM Project in future will be reported back to Cabinet in future report(s) for decision, and

(f)         agrees that the decisions above be implemented immediately in accordance with the Council’s call in procedure rules and urgency contained in the constitution set out in paragraph 8.1 of the report.

The meeting concluded at 13.15 hrs.