33 New secondary free school for northern Northampton PDF 659 KB
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Decision:
RESOLVED: Cabinet;
1. That Cabinet authorises the Assistant Director Assets and Environment to enter into an Agreement for Lease which would commit the Council to granting a 125-year lease for the construction, and ongoing use, of the site for new secondary school at Wantage Farm, Moulton, Northampton, as set out in the report.
REASONS:
1. There is a significant need for secondary school places in northern Northampton. Meeting that need through expansion of existing schools is unlikely to provide sufficient suitable capacity. Therefore a new school is required. The Council has a statutory duty to ensure the provision of sufficient school places for pupils from its area. Page 278
2. The Government via the Department for Education (DfE) and Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) is willing to fund a new free secondary school which will meet that need. This would be operated by the NSB Trust, which operates the ‘Outstanding’ Northampton School for Boys.
3. Consideration of options has identified land owned by the Council at Wantage Farm as the most credible site for the new school. No other viable or more suitable sites have been identified, despite examination.
4. The DfE will only invest in the new school if it has secure title to the land, by way of an AfL which would, if planning permission is granted, result in the grant of a 125-year lease to the academy trust.
5. The Council has consulted on the proposed disposal. The consultation has identified recognition of the need for a new school, alongside majority opposition to this site. The reasons given by respondents have been carefully considered and none were found that would justify not proceeding. In particular, many objections relate to matters more appropriately tested by the planning system.
6. If the Council did not enter into the AfL it would still need to provide the school places. This would probably result in the same site being used, but at the Council’s cost. This is estimated at £25 million.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS: None
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST DECLARED AND DISPENSATIONS GRANTED: None
Minutes:
The Chairman invited Parish Councillor Yvonne Swallows to speak on item 16. Cllr Swallows made the following points:
The Chair then invited Oliver Harris to speak on Item 16 on behalf of NSB as the Project Manager for the Trust. Mr Harris made the following comments.
At the Chairman’s invitation Councillor Baker presented the report, copies of which had been previously circulated. Councillor Baker made the following comments;
Councillor Larratt made the following comments.
Stuart Timmiss noted that the site analysis had been one step in the programme, with the lease subject to planning and ... view the full minutes text for item 33