Decision details

Councillor Gibbons presented the report.  She referred to the key objectives of the school expansion project to deliver the capacity for at least 900 school places on the site, as part of the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) (Forward Fund) bid, and to the consultation that had been undertaken.

In response to a proposal from Councillor Bridger that the delegation to the Director of Children’s Services in recommendation (3) should be in consultation with the Executive Member for Children’s Services & Lifelong Learning and the Executive Member for Assets and Capital Delivery, Councillor Gibbons confirmed she was happy to take this on board.  It was noted that the report had been brought to this meeting for approval to ensure the timetable for opening the school in September 2023 was not put at risk.

Members welcomed the report and the social value commitments to be delivered by Kier during the construction phase (Stage 2) of the project.  In response to a comment regarding the need for numbers and quantifiable targets to be included within the paragraph on climate change and environmental implications, officers undertook to provide the detail on this in due course.  With regard to the financial implications and confidence around the projected costs, reference was made existing cost mitigations in place and assurances were given that action would be taken as appropriate to mitigate against future cost increases.

Resolved:

(1) that the Winterstoke Hundred Academy Expansion (WHAE) Design and Build (Stage 2) contract be awarded to Kier Construction Ltd, Tempsford Hall, Sandy,Bedfordshire, SG19 2BD (company registration number 2099533), for a value of no more than £27.7m;

(2) that the capital budget be increased by £ 2.1m, funded by Section 106 contributions, to align the project to the values included within the original business case submissions; and

(3) that the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Executive Member for Children’s Services & Lifelong Learning and the Executive Member for Assets and Capital Delivery, be authorised to enter into a final contract within the capped value, subject to acceptance of final due diligence detailed within the report.

Reasons for the decision:

As set out in the report and discussed above.

Alternative options considered and rejected:

As set out in the report and discussed above.