Agenda and decisions

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To receive any apologies for absence.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of Urgent Business. (Late items of Urgent Business will be considered under the agenda item where they appear).

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST MADE FOR THIS ITEM:

None

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Families, pursuant to Contract Standing Order (CSO) 0.08, to:

1.    Approved the award of contract to Consultant B for RIBA 2-6 construction-related multi-disciplinary consultancy services up to the value of £688,956.80, to support the replacement of Block A roof and a section of Block B roof at Park View School, pursuant to CSOs 0.08, 2.01c and 8.01.

2.    In accordance with CSO 16.04, approved issuance of a letter of intent to the value of £100,000.

Reasons for decision

Following an inspection of the teaching Block A at Park View School by an external structural engineer, Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) was discovered forming part of the structural slab of the roof. On 14 April 2023, due to the risk of failure and collapse of this building element, it was recommended that the top floor of the building, consisting of 14 classrooms and office space, be immediately vacated. It was confirmed by the structural engineer that the other floors of the building could be safely used by students and staff. A curriculum and space analysis was undertaken and it was determined that the school required temporary accommodation including 13 classrooms, one shared office and four toilets until the structural issue could be remediated.

Interim teaching arrangements were initially put in place at the school from Monday 17 April 2023. These consisted of teaching many pupils in shared or communal spaces such as the sports gym. This was not considered to be a sustainable solution and was impacting the quality of teaching and learning; additionally, the gym was required to support GCSE exams from mid-May.

Cabinet Member approval was granted in May 2023 to award a contract to Portakabin Ltd to provide the required temporary accommodation by September 2023 for an 18-month hire period at Park View School.

Construction and installation of the temporary accommodation was completed on programme in September 2023. Variations of the Cabinet approval were granted by the Director of Schools and Learning in January 2025 and the Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Families in July 2025, for an extension of the rental period whilst a permanent solution to remediate the RAAC was developed.

A multi-disciplinary design team was appointed in September 2024 to undertake a feasibility study to determine the most appropriate solution to fully remediate the RAAC.

Agreement for funding of the recommended approach for a permanent solution to remediate the RAAC was received from the Department for Education (DfE) in May 2025, which on completion, would allow students to return to the main building.

The proposed permanent remediation was to replace the roof containing RAAC. This included removal of all RAAC panels from the school, then installation of a new deck and roof covering on Block A and the section of Block B that contained RAAC. Consequential works, such as removal and reinstatement of internal top floor partitions, windows and services to enable replacement of the roof deck,  ...  view the full decision text for item 6.

Item 8 is likely to be subject to a motion to exclude the press and public be from the meeting as it contains exempt information as defined in Section 100a of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended by Section 12A of the Local Government Act 1985); paras 3, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet member for Children’s Schools and Families:

1.    Noted and approved the exempt recommendations.