Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: June 10, 2025

Purpose:

Content: Salford City Council - Record of Decision   I, Councillor Tracy Kelly, Statutory Deputy City Mayor, in exercise of the powers contained within the City Council Constitution do hereby approve: The associated budget costs of £7,670.00 in respect of the creation of additional capacity across eight educational settings to support the city’s pupil demand position from September 2025.   The Reasons are: The identified schemes will provide additional secondary places across three high schools, supporting the local authority’s secondary pupil demand position across two secondary school planning areas as of September 2025. The further five schemes, are in respect of the creation of additional specialist provision, supporting the local authority’s strategy by providing a continuum of provision for the young people of the city. Options considered and rejected were: None Assessment of Risk: The creation of additional pupil capacity will assist the city council in fulfilling its statutory duty in relation to the provision of sufficient school places. The source of funding is: The cost of works will be met with the Basic Need and SEND Capital grant allocations available. Legal Advice obtained: Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to ensure there are enough school places available in their area for every child aged 5 to 16 needing one, as set out in section 14 of the Education Act 1996.   The Department of Education (DfE) provides Basic Need capital grant funding to local authorities to support them to meet that statutory responsibility. The Basic Need Grant can be used to create new school places in mainstream schools.   The Grant helps local authorities meet the growing demand for school places and ensure that all children, including those with SEND, have access to suitable education environments. The funding is un-ringfenced (subject to certain conditions that ensures any funding paid out under this grant is spent efficiently) and it is for local authorities to determine how to best use the funding to meet local priorities.   In relation to efficient use of resources DfE guidance states: “The department expects local authorities to conduct a robust evaluation of procurement options for any education capital projects.”   In relation to using the Grant to create new places DfE guidance states: “When expanding existing schools, we expect local authorities to create new places at schools (including academies and free schools) with an overall Ofsted rating of good or outstanding, and to notify the department where it is not possible to do so. We also expect local authorities to prioritise schools with strong performance records by considering a range of performance indicators and financial data, when deciding to expand a school. Expansion can offer school leaders the opportunity to reach more local children and to achieve greater financial economies of scale. All schools should be flexible in considering how best they can support the local authority to deliver its sufficiency duty. We expect school leaders and academy trusts to collaborate effectively with local authorities, expanding where feasible when requested to do so by a local authority, or increasing their admission numbers where they have capacity, in order to meet a local need for places.”   The SEND Capital Grant is specifically aimed at creating new places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It can be used to adapt classrooms, expand specialist units in mainstream schools, and create new places in special schools.   The proposals will enable the Council to comply with its statutory duty under the Education Act 1996 to provide sufficient places for primary and secondary education in its area.   Financial advice obtained: The indicative capital costs detailed in this report, will be funded from within the Council’s SEND and Basic Need Grant allocations, included within the Children’s Services Capital Programme.   In respect of academies, the funding will be awarded to the Multi Academy Trust in the form of a Grant and will be awarded in line with the relevant agreement, funds will only be passed once the projects have commenced. Spend will be closely monitored to ensure the final project costs where possible do not exceed this figure.   Procurement Advice obtained: The procurement of the modular build for Springwood Primary was undertaken by the internal property team and was procured by utilising the NWCH framework which is a compliant route to market and complies with the Public Contract Regulations and the Councils own internal contractual standing orders.   The procurement of the other schools, Salford City Academy High School, Albion Academy High School, will be undertaken by the Multi Academy Trust and their own external partners. As, the delivery of the schemes will be led by relevant Multi Academy Trust and their external partners, the procurement and delivery of the schemes should be in line with the procurement rules, also following their own governance procedures. Irlam and Cadishead Academy High School procurement will be in line with the PFI contract and delivered through facilities management external contractors.   The procurement and delivery of the other schools and centre that are not academies may fall with the council and the procurement should be in line with the procurement rules and SCC governance, if this is the case the same process identified for Springwood can be followed or the most suitable framework utilised. HR Advice obtained: Not Applicable Climate Change Advice obtained: Not Applicable The following documents have been used to assist the decision process: N/A Contact Officers:   Paula Newall, Service Lead School Organisation         Michael Goddard, Project and Provision Planning Manager Telephone numbers: 0161 778 0447 and 0161 778 0450   ·         This decision is subject to consideration for briefing purposes by the Lead Member for Children and Young People. The Lead Member is supportive of the decision. ·         The appropriate scrutiny to call-in the decision is the Children’s Scrutiny Panel.                        Signed    Councillor Tracy Kelly                     Dated 10.06.25                         Statutory Deputy City Mayor   For Democratic Services use only   This decision was published on  12.06.25.  This decision will come in force at 4.00 p.m. on             19.06.25 unless it is called-in in accordance with the Decision Making Process Rules.