Issue - meetings

                 Report of the Chief Executive.

Cllr Jane Davies, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, SEND, Transition and Inclusionpresented the report which provided an update on the Silverwood Build programme; the current cost pressures against the allocated capital budget; and a request for a further allocation of £5.283m from the capital budget.

In response to questions from Cabinet members about the project and associated costs; Cllr Davies confirmed that a fixed contract would be negotiated with construction partners to avoid additional costs, and that the total cost is within the predicted range. 

In response to questions from Cllr Ian Thorn about inflation of build costs and the future of the schools; Cllr Davies confirmed that the current budget included inflationary allowances and that Silverwood School has one leadership team operating across three sites and all the sites were part of the one school.

Resolved:

That Cabinet approve the allocation of £5.283m of capital budget funded by borrowing from the “Other Capital Schemes to be Confirmed” budget and that it is reprofiled to £3m in 2023/24 and £2.283m in 2024/25.

Reasons for Decision:

If additional special school places cannot be delivered by September 2023 there will be insufficient places for some of our most vulnerable learners. Provision would either need to be made in temporary accommodation which could be costly and challenging to locate on site, or in independent sector places which are also under pressure, are high-cost, and often require learners to travel out of Wiltshire. This has a significant impact on our high needs block budget, as well as our transport budget, and most importantly does not support learners to be educated within Wiltshire close to their home and families.