Agenda item

            The Board considered a report which provided an outline of the submission requirements for entry into the National Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Programme and a list of the key issues Halton needed to consider prior to completing any application. The BSF was a national programme through which funding was available for investment to transform all schools or units that taught secondary age pupils. Funding was either in the source of either conventional capital (capital grant and borrowing) and/or PFI credit. Capital projects generally range from £50 to £150m in costs. Projects in Waves 4-6 were initially selected based on educational and social need. As further prioritisation was now required, authorities were now required to demonstrate their readiness to deliver their projects.

 

            The assessment of readiness to deliver would be made by the Department of Education and Skills and Partnerships for Schools. Projects selected for inclusion in Wave four would have to be ready to commence in January 2007. It was proposed, following consultation with Corporate Management Team and Halton Secondary Headteachers that it would be more appropriate for Halton to bid for inclusion in either Wave 5 or 6 so that issues in relation to the most appropriate model for school organisation and more detailed consultation with all stakeholders could be undertaken. The work required to achieve the core criteria outlined in the report could not be achieved to ensure an appropriate level of preparedness for Wave 4. In addition, it was acknowledged that recruiting a Project Manager, establishing the team and resourcing this facility would be difficult to achieve prior to January 2007.

 

            In order to progress work for a Wave 5 application, there would need to be an urgent audit of the skills and experience within the Council in particular in relation to design, finance, Legal, ICT, Personnel, Audit, Risk Management, Procurement, Insurance and Advisory.

 

            Options needed to be considered to address any skills shortages including the engaging of external staff and providing training for in-house staff. A Project Director would also need to be appointed.

 

            The readiness to delivery submission must be completed in full and returned to both the DFES and PFS no later than 13^th October 2006.

 

            There was no revenue funding for the Project and in some authorities the set up costs had been around £2m. Further work was being undertaken with authorities in earlier Waves of the BSF to identify a more accurate sum. This financial revenue resource would be built into the Council’s financial plan.

 

            RESOLVED: That

 

(1)            approval in principle is agreed by the Board in relation to the Authority’s commitment to engagement in the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Programme, in particular the procurement and funding models outlined in the report;

 

(2)       the capacity and experience of Council staff in key service areas be assessed to identify any additional staffing requirements necessary to establish a project team and the level of any external consultancy required;

 

(3)            consideration be given as part of the on-going budget process for the allocation of all necessary revenue costs incurred in the establishing and resourcing a Project Management Team within the Authority; and

 

(4)            subject to the satisfactory outcome on the above recommendations, approval be given to submit a request for participation in Wave 5 of the BSF Programme