To receive any apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Dudley and Targowska.

To receive any declarations of interest

There were no declarations of interest received.

To consider the Part I minutes of the meeting held on 17 May 2017.

Resolved unanimously: that the part I minutes of the meeting held on 17 May 2017 be approved.

To consider the above report.

The Deputy Chairman of Cabinet explained that this meeting of the Cabinet Prioritisation Sub Committee had been called as there was an urgent Cabinet decision required prior to the next scheduled Cabinet meeting. 

The Director of Children’s Services introduced the report regarding the schools capital programme.

Members were informed that the meeting had been arranged so the decision to award the tender for the Furze Platt Senior School expansion could be taken to meet school expansion deadlines. 

Section 1 of the report set out the tender price of £6,747,340 whilst section 4 showed the latest position of the six schools in the secondary expansion programme totalling £29,600,000.

The Lead Member for Environmental Services (including Parking & Flooding) asked for further information on the reason for the schools being selected for the 6 year expansion programme. The Director of Children’s Services explained that each year shifts in population and the birth rate was examined to determine future demand on school places. 

The need to expand our secondary schools was identified in 2015/16 and schools were identified on the basis of being Ofsted rated Good or Outstanding and parental preference.  The secondary schools selected were Windsor Girls, Windsor Boys, Charters, Cox Green, Dedworth Middle and Furze Platt.  It was noted that Windsor Boys had been rated as Requires Improvement but it had not yet been rated as part of the Windsor Learning Partnership Trust and that there was a demand for places within Windsor. 

The Director of Children’s Services explained that at the time the expansion programme was introduced there had been a significant inflation in the building costs and he wished to thank officers and the academies for their work in bringing the costs within budget.

The Lead Member for Environmental Services (including Parking & Flooding) asked about risks and contingency costs and was informed that there was a contingency budget in place that had been drawn from all six expansion plans and had thus reduced the need to have a 5 percent contingency plan for each school and reduced overall costs.

The Deputy Chairman of Cabinet mentioned that a spending programme of nearly £30,000,000 was excellent news for our residents and that the sub-committee were being asked to approve the recommendation that the tender be awarded to Beard Construction.

Resolved unanimously: that the Cabinet Prioritisation Sub-Committee notes the report and approves the recommendation to accept the tender from Beard Construction for Furze Platt Senior School in the sum of £6,747,340.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1-7 of part I of Schedule 12A of the Act.

To consider the Part II minutes of the meeting held on 17 May 2017.