Purpose

To fund Wollaston School Expansion S106
project. £1,068,087

Content

RESOLVED
 
KEY DECISION
 
That the Executive:
 

a)   
Agreed the Wollaston School Expansion Section 106
project to address a significant deficit of Year 7 places in
Wellingborough, North Northamptonshire.
 

b)   
Delegated authority to the Executive Member for
Children, Families, Education and Skills, in consultation with the
Executive Director of Children’s Services and the Executive
Director of Place and Economy, to authorise all necessary legal,
property and financial agreements to ensure effective delivery of
the project. 
 
 
Reasons for Recommendations:

·      
Council pupil
projections indicate a significant deficit of Y7 places across
North Northamptonshire in September 2024 and beyond: 
 

·      
The Council is required to provide additional
capacity to ensure it fulfils its statutory obligations.
 

·      
To expand pupil places at the school in 2024,
Capital investment is required to enable the school to also
increase pupil admission numbers in 2025.
 

·      
The recommendations support the Council to address
the lack of sufficiency of secondary pupil places across North
Northamptonshire.
 

·      
Under school place planning duties (s13-14 Education
Act 1996) the Council as an education authority has a duty to
promote high standards of education and fair access to education
including SEND. 
 

·      
To accord with legislation and the policy of the
Council.
 
Alternative Options
Considered:
 

·      
Option 1: Do nothing
- This would fail to support our sufficiency
strategy to develop mainstream schools both primary and secondary
to address the deficit of pupil places.
 

·      
Option 2: Building a new school would be an option
and there is a planned S106 School at Stanton Cross but there is
insufficient S106 funding for this planned new school, and it is
estimated that the Council would need circa £15m additional
funding over and above the Basic Needs grant to deliver the school,
when it comes forward.