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ITEM EX17

REVISED DETAILED PROJECT APPRAISAL APPRAISAL NO. ED505/2

1. INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT

This revised appraisal is being submitted for approval by the Executive as the costs of the work have increased because of additional mechanical and electrical works, which need to be carried out to one of the teaching blocks and because of inflationary pressures.

The building work is required to enable a new 420 place CE Aided primary school (known as John Henry Newman CE Aided School) to be established from January 2004, on the existing Lawn Upton Middle School site.

The new school will be formed in part of the Lawn Upton School comprising the Bloxham, Newman and Herschel blocks. The Clewer Block and Lawn Upton House will not be required for the new school and will be disposed of in due course.

The scheme includes small extensions to the Newman block, minor alterations to the Herschel block to provide two Key Stage 2 classrooms, and the conversion and adaptation of a large part of the Bloxham building to provide a new nursery class, new main entrance and administrative areas and Key Stage 1 classrooms.

(Resource Appraisal - download as .xls file)


2. JUSTIFICATION

The justification remains unaltered from the outline and detailed project appraisals.

The work at this school is necessary to enable the LEA to fulfil its legal responsibilities to provide accommodation for children in this area of Oxford given the reorganisation of the school system; and to enable the reorganisation to proceed upon the agreed timetable.

3. OTHER OPTIONS

The only other option which would enable the reorganisation proposals to be implemented would be for the expansion at this school to be provided through the use of temporary classrooms.

Officers do not consider this option to be an appropriate response to the requirements of the reorganisation.

4. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

1. Capital

The revised estimated total costs of the scheme, inclusive of fees, is £1,495,000. These costs will be met from the budget earmarked for the schools reorganisation, which will include receipts secured through site disposals, government loan sanction provided as part of Oxfordshire’s Annual Capital Guideline, Devolved Formula Capital, and grant provided through the Government’s Standards Fund, and from funding secured from the disposal of the Clewer Block and Lawn Upton House, which will not be required as part of the new school. The increase in costs will be met from additional funding (£603k) secured by the Diocese from the government.

2. Revenue

The revenue costs (including day to day and structural repairs) will be met from the school’s delegated budget under the Council’s Fair Funding arrangements.

5. STAFF IMPLICATIONS

There are no staffing implications arising from this specific appraisal which have not been addressed as part of the personnel arrangements for the reorganisation as a whole.

6. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS