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ITEM CA14

CABINET – 20 SEPTEMBER 2005

EDUCATION PROJECT APPRAISALS:
Carterton Community College - New 6 Classroom Block; Mabel Prichard School, Littlemore, Oxford - Co-location with Orchard Meadow Primary School

Report by Director for Learning & Culture

1. This report presents two project appraisals, for £1m+ schemes within the Learning & Culture Capital Programme.
2. The first Appraisal – No ED626 – is in respect of a scheme to provide a new six-classroom block to cater for Basic Need. The accommodation will provide six new general teaching classrooms with three on the ground floor and three on the first floor with provisions for a lift, toilets and storage. This is the next phase of development at the College under its Site Development Plan.
3. The scheme is in the current capital programme as part of the forward plan. It will be funded from borrowing as Supported Capital Expenditure (Revenue).
4. The second Appraisal – No. ED 627 – is for the full refurbishment and conversion of the premises currently occupied by Orchard Meadow Primary School off Cuddeson Way in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, to enable completion of a project agreed in 1996 for the co-location of Mabel Prichard School - a special school for children with severe learning difficulties in Oxford - onto two mainstream school sites: Orchard Meadow School for children aged 2 – 11, and Peers School for children aged 11 – 16.
5. The secondary aged element was relocated to Peers School in 1998 with additional classrooms added in 2004. Foundation Stage accommodation was provided at Orchard Meadow School in 2002 by the adaptation of the existing accommodation to a provide a fully integrated nursery. The primary aged section of Mabel Prichard School remains on its present site in St Nicholas Road, Littlemore, and this appraisal relates to its move into refurbished accommodation at the Orchard Meadow Primary School site.
6. Orchard Meadow School’s current premises, Blackbird Leys, Oxford will become vacant in November 2005 after that School’s move into the adjacent accommodation previously occupied by Wesley Green Middle School. This has been fully refurbished and converted as part of the Oxford City Schools reorganisation.
7. Formal approval for the co-location was received in May 1998 from the Secretary of State. The co-location has the full support of Mabel Prichard and Orchard Meadow School’s governing bodies.
8. The cost of the Orchard Meadow refurbishment work will be met partly from capital receipts raised from the sale of Mabel Prichard School buildings and site. This and other financial information is shown in the Resource Appraisal which is appended to the Project Appraisal. The Resource Appraisal should be considered in exempt session because its discussion in public might lead to the disclosure to members of the public present of terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the disposal of property; such disclosure would prejudice the Council’s position in those negotiations. The Resource Appraisal is therefore circulated only to members and officers entitled to receive it.

RECOMMENDATION

9. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve project appraisals ED626 and ED627.

KEITH BARTLEY
Director for Learning & Culture

Background Papers: Nil

Contact Officers: Carterton: Michael Mill, Senior Education Officer, Planning & Development Tel: (01865) 816458

Mabel Prichard: John Phipps, Education Officer Tel: 01865 816455

September 2005

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