Decision

The Assistant Director Property and Investment
has approved an increase in costs of £100,289.00 to the
original contract made for Hire and Supply of Bespoke Classrooms at
Foxfield School between Wirral Borough Council and Portakabin
Limited in September 2024 to undertake the installation of raised
surfacing to the temporary mobile double classroom at Foxfield
School.

Reasons for the decision

A detailed Specification of requirements has
been received from Foxfield School, New Hey Road, Wirral, to
accommodate the increased pupil numbers for the 2024/25 school
year. The original contract for this was executed in September 2024
between Wirral Borough Council and Portakabin Limited for
£278,280.00
The initial design for groundworks was not possible due to the
existing drainage level on site. The classrooms could not be
installed by reducing the ground level to enable a level access
into the building. In this instance the level of the existing
playground needed to be raised and laid to fall to achieve the
required level access the school requires. To achieve this the cost
has increased compared to the original proposed groundworks and
this change was agreed with the client service and the works were
delivered.
In this instance the variation will be underpinned by a formal deed
of variation which will be drawn up by the Council’s legal
team.

Alternative options considered

A ramped access was considered but following
discussions with the school, the associated handrails that would be
required to comply with building regulations were deemed a climbing
risk that the school would not accept. The option of not proceeding
with the temporary classroom project would mean that teaching
accommodation would not meet Department for Education
guidelines.