The Interim Corporate Director Education and Family Support sought endorsement of the financial commitment required for Band B of the School Modernisation Programme. 

He reported that a Schools Task Group was established in 2014 to ensure the Council planned for a high-quality education system and it became evident that the work of the individual work streams established under the Schools Task Group could not be undertaken in isolation, as there were dependencies relating to each work stream and there needed to be a coherent strategy for Bridgend.  Cabinet approval was sought in September 2015 to build on the work of the Schools Task Group and approval was given for officers to undertake a strategic review into the development and rationalisation of the curriculum and estate provision of primary, secondary and post-16 education.  In May 2016, a Strategic Review Overarching Board was established, and four operational boards were identified, one of which was specifically related to consideration of Band B investment priorities.  It was considered that Band B priorities identified within the 2010 SOP may no longer be of primary importance and the issues facing the Council and schools need to be reviewed to establish a strategic approach for investment, establishing a priority list of schemes for delivery within the Band B timescale (i.e. 2019-2024).

The Interim Corporate Director Education and Family Support reported that the Welsh Government in 2017requested that local authorities submit a new SOP, updated to reflect revised priorities.  In October 2017, Cabinet was presented with a report detailing the outcome of the work of the school modernisation work stream and the revised SOP submission and gave approval to discontinue the original Band B schemes identified in the November 2010 Cabinet report, and approved the revised Band B schemes detailed below:

·         Bridgend North East (2 form entry (FE)) - capital grant

·         Bridgend South East (2.5FE) - capital grant

·         Bridgend Special School (270 places) – Mutual Investment Model

·         Bridgend West – Welsh-medium (2FE) - capital grant

·         Bridgend West – English-medium (2FE) - capital grant

He also reported that  the Welsh Government on 6 December 2017, gave ‘approval in principle’ for Bridgend’s second wave of investment, which at this stage has an estimated programme envelope cost of £68.2m of which approximately £43.2m is anticipated to be capital funded, the balance proposed to be funded through the Welsh Government Mutual Investment Model (MIM).  In order to receive this funding, the Council will need to submit detailed business cases for each project including details of how the match funding (circa £22.8m) required from the Council will be provided.  It was proposed that this be met from general capital funding in the first instance (subject to Local Government settlements from Welsh Government), with the balance to be met from s106 funding, receipts from the sale of school and other sites, earmarked reserves and unsupported borrowing.  He stated that the capital programme will be updated with individual scheme costs and revised funding as each business case is approved, and reported through the appropriate channels.

RESOLVED:           That Council:

(1)  approved in principle the financial commitment  required for Band B of the School Modernisation Programme.  The approval would be subject to sufficient resources being identified and allocated to meet the match funding commitment;

approved the finance required in respect of Band B of the School Modernisation Programme to be incorporated into the capital programme.