ITEM CMDSI3
CABINET MEMBER SCHOOLS IMPROVEMENT – 6 JANUARY 2009
TARGETED CAPITAL FUND 14- 19 DIPLOMAS & SEN
Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families
Introduction
1. The Department for Children, Schools & Families (DCSF) has allocated £8.0 million of Targeted Capital Funding grant over 2 years - £2.0m 09-10 and £6.0m 10-11 – for 14-19 Diplomas and SEN. This report describes the process and initial proposals for spending this allocation to help put in place diploma provision for 14-19 year olds.
Background
2. The funding has been provided at a flat rate to give local authorities and their partners the flexibility to use resources alongside others to meet local priorities without prior project approval by the DCSF. The Directorate Leadership Team decided that the £8.0m should be apportioned £2.7m for diplomas and £5.3m for SEN. The Oxfordshire 14-19 Strategy Group (OFSG) has been responsible for identifying, and prioritising, which capital proposals put forward by the seven 14-19 consortia should be funded from the £2.7m. These projects will support the delivery of diplomas, contribute to implementing the CYP&F 14-19 Strategy, the five outcomes of the Children & Young People’s Plan and the corporate objectives of real choice, modernising and improving schools and a world class economy.
Process and Prioritisation
3. The OFSG comprises representatives of the local stakeholders in 14-19 provision and is chaired by the Director for CYP&F. These include Headteacher representatives, the Learning & Skills Council, College principals, University of Oxford Brookes, Oxfordshire Education Partnership, Oxfordshire Chamber of Commerce, Aimhigher MKOB, Thames Valley Regional Network and CYP&F officers. OFSG invited consortia to submit information on the need for capital investment projects in their areas by 15 October. The criteria established for taking projects forward are projects that :
§ Raise attainment and/or post 16 participation§ Improve access for all young people including those from vulnerable groups § Reduce transport needs and reduce carbon emissions § Build on strong collaboration § Involve employers § Are sustainable§ Enhance, not replicate, existing facilities § Provide support to areas of demographic reduction § Maximise existing resources (for example conversions will be more cost effective than new builds) § Maximise cross boundary opportunities where appropriate § Will be in use for as much of the year as possible § Build on other funding
opportunities For each project OFSG asked for details of:
General outline of the proposed capital project – where it would be created, new build or
conversion, estimate of cost. Shared use of the proposed project – the number of young people it would serve, how
other partners would access the proposed facility. Education Use – how would it contribute to raising attainment in the consortium and
narrow the gap in attainment between young people entitled to free schools
meals and those not entitled, how will it contribute to increasing
participation post 16 and improve access for vulnerable groups or reduce
transport needs, how will employers play a role in how it is used. Sustained Use of the proposed project – how much use will be made by day, evening, week,
holiday period, all year. The Group used an assessment against these criteria to select its proposed projects for funding.
Proposed Projects & Implementation Arrangements
4. At its meeting on the 17 November the OFSG voted that the projects listed in Annex 1 (download as .doc file) should be accepted for funding. This initial batch of projects totals £1,833,400 leaving £866,600 to be allocated at the next meeting of the Group in January. Within this batch it is considered that generally projects of less than £200,000 can be carried out by the establishments themselves. The approval of the projects will be on condition that the sum awarded will be spent in the financial year it is allocated for and that no further allocation will be available for increased costs which would need to be met by the individual establishment or consortium. All of these projects will be subject to approval through the self-financed project approval process which is part of the Council’s health and safety procedures. This implementation route has been used before for Extended Schools and Seed Challenge allocations. It is proposed that projects over £200,000 would generally be delivered centrally through Property Services; subject to further discussion with the schools involved on the best way to ensure that the cost and timing of project delivery matches the allocations.
Financial and Staff Implications
5. Where identified in project submissions, other capital funding streams which will be joined up with the Targeted Capital Fund money must be confirmed. A contingency sum of 10% will be established, from within the allocation, for the larger projects which have not been fully costed. Day to day revenue costs and financial sustainability will be managed and met through the individual establishments’ budgets and other available funding streams within the consortia. Establishments will also be responsible for staffing provision and costs.
RECOMMENDATION
6. The Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement is RECOMMENDED to approve the process for establishing and selecting the 14-19 diploma projects for funding from the Targeted Capital Fund allocation identified for this purpose and the proposed implementation routes.
JANET TOMLINSON Director for Children, Young People & Families]
Contact Officers: Sandra Higgs, Strategic Lead for Oxfordshire 14-19 Strategy, Children, Young People & Families Tel: (01865) 492066 Gerald Hales Service Manager Property & Assets, Children Young People & Families Tel; (01865) 816456
December 2008
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