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ITEM CA8
CABINET – 20 MAY 2008
PRIMARY CAPITAL STRATEGY FOR CHANGE CONSULTATION
Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families
Introduction
1. This report supplements the
consultation document on the Primary Capital Programme - Strategy for Change
(PCP-SC) which has been sent out to stakeholders. The deadline for the return
of responses is 9 May 2008. The feedback obtained from the consultation (see
Annex 1 (download as .doc file) for the letter sent to stakeholders and questionnaire to shape responses)
will be analysed to inform the final version of the PCP-SC for Cabinet approval
by means of a delegated decision on 3 June 2008, prior to final submission to
the Department for Children, Schools & Families (DCSF) by 16 June 2008.
Content of the Consultation Document
2. The document has sections covering the following:
· The local perspective · Baseline analysis · Long-term aims · Approach to change · Initial investment priorities · Conclusion
3. It takes into account developments in the Children’s Services agenda, such as: extended schools; the five Every Child Matters (ECM) outcomes; and Early Years developments, including involvement of the private and voluntary sectors.
4. The document has been written in accordance with the guidelines issued by the DCSF in December 2007. The guidelines make it very clear that Oxfordshire must give priority to capital investment that will support raising achievement in schools and tackling underperformance.
5. The purpose of the document is to engage the stakeholders with the principles underlying the strategy, to obtain their support and feedback in order to inform the final version to be submitted to the DCSF.
6. The DCSF has to approve the strategy to enable Oxfordshire to receive the first tranche of funding for 2009-10 as part of the Capital Programme for schools. 7. Members may find it helpful to focus on sections three and five of the consultation document to ensure that they agree with the long term aims; priorities; and the key criteria for determining the priorities for investment. The priorities and criteria are given on page 20 of the consultation document. The criteria are intended to measure the level of need experienced by children and families for each school based on the five ECM indicators; physical buildings; and strategic asset issues.
8. There are three key criteria; with Enjoy & Achieve, reflecting the DCSF priority to raise achievement at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2; and Physical buildings, taking into account the condition, suitability and appropriateness of buildings; having the highest scores. The next highest score criterion is for strategic asset issues to match demand to provision, including schools with surplus capacity and those which will need to expand to meet growth requirements. This will include popular and successful schools.
9. Each locality has been scored in accordance with the criteria and the result is a ranking (see Annex 3) (download as .doc file) for prioritising capital investment. The first four localities in the ranking with the highest scores are also the four localities which have already received full locality reviews prior to the drafting of the consultation document.
10. At this stage, but subject to feedback from the consultation, Oxford South East is at the top of the ranking. Within this locality two schools, Bayard’s Hill and Wood Farm, have been identified as the first two possible projects for the PCP-SC. Feedback on the locality review findings together with those of Cowley/Iffley; Headington/Wheatley; and North Oxford/Cumnor will be obtained at a summit meeting for all four Oxford localities on 3 May 2008. Further full locality reviews can be determined when the DCSF response to the PCP-SC has been received.
Risk Management
11. A detailed risk assessment can be found in the Project Initiation Document (PID) for the Primary Review. The main risk arises if the strategy does not meet the DCSF criteria. However, as the guidelines have been followed very closely and as a full consultation is being undertaken, the risk is considerably minimised.
Financial and Staff Implications
12. The indicative capital allocation is £5.8m for 2009-10, and £2.628m for 2010-11. Subsequently, for 2010-13 a further £32.148m is provisionally allocated.
RECOMMENDATION
13. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) note the content of the consultation document, the questionnaire format for stakeholder responses and the range of stakeholders contacted for response;
(b) approve the locality priority list for capital investment, as suggested by the criteria set out in Annex 3; and
(c) agree to delegate to the Cabinet Member for School Improvement the decision to approve the final version of the strategy, which will include the locality priority list for capital investment, for submission to the DCSF by 16 June 2008.
JANET TOMLINSON Director for Children, Young People & Families
Background papers: DCSF Guidance
Contact Officer: Irene Kirkman, Assistant Head of Raising Achievement Service – School Support Services – Tel: (01865) 815141
May 2008
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