Purpose

Proposed decision
–
 
i.            
AUTHORISE the allocation of an additional
£5,236,000, thus creating a revised project budget of
£15,136,000 from the Basic Need capital budget for phase 1
(1FE with 2FE infrastructure) of the establishment of a new 2FE
Primary School in Thanington,
Canterbury
 
ii.           
DELEGATE authority to the Director of Infrastructure
to, in consultation with the Director of Education, enter into any
necessary contracts or other legal agreements, as required to
implement this decision; and
 
iii.         
AGREE for the Director of Infrastructure to be the
nominated Authority Representative within the relevant agreements,
with authority to enter variations as envisaged under the
contracts.
 
 
Reason for the decision
 
On 17 January 2023,
through 23/00001, the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills
agreed the £9,900,000 capital funding for the proposal based
on cost estimates at the time.
 
The Cabinet Committee
endorsed on 17 January 2023 that the Free School Presumption
process could begin, and a Trust could be selected to establish the
new school. At the time the preliminary cost was identified as
£9.9m. The cost was pre detailed feasibilities and pre
planning costs. It was advised in the report that following the
planning application and final costs the proposal would return to
the Cabinet Member to approve the finalised capital
costs.
 
This proposal has
experienced several challenges due to the land transfer for the
school site. The revised capital project costs have been identified
as £15,136,000.
 
 
Background
 
Canterbury City
Council’s current Local Plan, adopted on 13 July 2017,
proposed a total of just over 16,000 new homes during the Plan
period up to 2031. The Canterbury Infrastructure Delivery Plan
(2019) identified the provision of a 2FE Primary School within the
strategic site allocation at Cockering Farm, Thanington (Policy SP3, Site 11). This is critical
infrastructure needed to support the delivery of the 2017
Canterbury District Local Plan. The new 2FE Primary School in
Thanington was included in the Kent
Commissioning plan and stated it would be needed as and when the
new housing developments progressed.
 
The new 2FE Primary
School in Thanington, Canterbury, is
being established to meet the demand for places from new housing
developments in the vicinity.  The new
school is to be built on the Cockering Farm housing development and
the site was secured through the Section 106 agreement for this
site. The school will meet the need for additional primary school
places arising from new housing on this site and the surrounding
area and will reduce the impact on the road system in the immediate
area. The 3 main developments in Thanington will produce a total of 1,150 new homes. These
developments would be expected to generate 322 primary pupils
(based on all dwellings being applicable).
 
The scheme has been
designed to RIBA Stage 3 and received planning approval in November
2024. The Stage 3 costs include delivering the scheme in accordance
with the current building regulations and planning
conditions.
 
The predicted
additional cost, including KCC contingency, is assessed as being
£5,136,000.
 
Options (other options considered but discarded)
This school is to
serve the new housing developments in Thanington and forms part of a S106 agreement and
is a strategic site within the Canterbury City Council Local
Plan.
 
How the proposed decision supports the

Framing Kent's Future
- Our Council Strategy 2022-2026
 
This proposal will help to support
Framing Kent’s Future – Our Council Strategy
(2022-2026) Priority 1 - Levelling up. ‘To maintain
KCC’s strategic role in supporting schools in Kent to deliver
accessible, high quality education provision for all
families.’
 
How the
proposed decision supports Securing Kent’s Future 2022
-2026:
Securing Kents Future
- Budget Recovery Strategy.pdf
 
The 'Securing Kent's
Future' strategy outlines the measures that KCC intend to take to
ensure that Kent remains financially stable, now and long into the
future.  It describes the statutory
priorities, one of which being the statutory duty to ensure
sufficient school places are available to any child or young person
who requires one.  This duty applies to
Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision, as well as mainstream
settings.
 
This proposal is
necessary for KCC to continue to deliver the statutory duty, in a
cost-effective way, in line with the guidelines described in the
Securing Kent's Future strategy. It will help to maintain
KCC’s strategic role in supporting schools in Kent to deliver
accessible, high quality education provision for all
families.
 

Financial Implications
 

Capital
Funding
for this project was granted under Record of decision 23/00001
based on predicted costs. The scheme has been designed to RIBA
Stage 3 and received planning approval in November 2024. Site
specific constraints and abnormal items have resulted in a cost
uplift.

-     
Record of Decision 23/00001
£9,900,000

-     
Forecast project cost @ 17/01/2025
£15,136,000

-     
Predicted Overspend, including KCC risk items and
contingency £5,236,000
 
An
allowance of up to £2,500 may be payable to the school, to
outfit each new teaching room with appropriate ICT equipment, such
as touch screens or projection equipment.  This will be met from the overall Capital
allocation for this project.
 
Developer
Contributions totalling £8,195,191.96 have been agreed and
requested towards the new 2FE Thanington Primary School. Of this £244,807.88
has been received to date.
 

Revenue
A
forecast £250,000 has been allowed for from the revenue
budget should the new school need to open in temporary
accommodation whilst the new block is built.

 
Revenue
costs of setting up the new school are expected to be fully funded
from the ring-fenced Dedicated Schools Grant: School Block. This
includes funding to support new or growing schools though a basic
need requirement. Available revenue funding will be allocated in
accordance with the prevailing Kent County Council School’s
Growth Funding Policy.
 
£6,000 per newly created learning space, would be provided
towards the cost of furniture and equipment, such as tables, desks,
chairs, cabinets and learning resources
 
The
ongoing revenue budget for the school will be allocated in
accordance with the prevailing Government requirements for setting
the Local Funding Formula for Schools Budgets in Kent. Free schools
are not controlled by a Local Authority and future revenue
financial implications, including the management of the school
budget, will be responsibility of the future Trust. 
There
are no revenue Council General Fund implications expected from this
proposal.
 
Legal
Implications  
KCC, as the Local
Authority (LA), has a statutory duty to ensure sufficient school
places are available.  This duty applies
to Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision, as well as mainstream
settings.
 
The County
Council’s Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent
2025 - 29 is a five-year rolling plan which is updated
annually.  It sets out KCC’s
future plans as Strategic Commissioner of Education Provision
across all types and phases of education in Kent.
 

https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/education-provision/education-provision-plan
 
 
Equalities implications
An Equality Impact
Assessment was completed for the 24/00019 decision that indicates
that there are no issues.
 
Data
Protection implications
A DPIA was not
required and has been completed.
 

Decision

As Cabinet Member
for Education and Skills I agree to:
 
i.              
Approve the allocation of an additional
£5,236,000, with a revised project budget of
£15,136,000 from the Basic Need capital budget for phase 1
(1FE with 2FE infrastructure) of the establishment of a new 2FE
Primary School in Thanington, Canterbury
 
ii.            
Delegate authority to the Director of Infrastructure
to, in consultation with the Director of Education, enter into any
necessary contracts or other legal agreements, as required to
implement this decision; and
 
iii.           
Agree for the Director of Infrastructure to be the
nominated Authority Representative within the relevant agreements,
with authority to enter variations as envisaged under the
contracts