To consider the attached report from the Cabinet Member for Getting a Good Start / Director of Children’s Services.

Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Children’s Services which advised that the Department for Education (DfE) are looking for “shovel ready” construction projects that can be delivered immediately. To this end the Council have been working closely with the DfE team drawing up options for a Littleborough Primary School re-build project. In the event that the project is funded, the Council needs to make a decision on the Littleborough Children’s Centre building which falls within potential new school footprint.

Alternatives considered:

Options for keeping the existing Children’s Centre and completely replacing it were described within the report as Option 1 and Option 3.

Resolved:

1.    That approval be given to Littleborough Primary School’s inclusion in the Department for Education new re-build project if funded;

2.    That approval be given for Option 2 detailed in this report, which would see the Littleborough Children’s Centre re-provided in what is currently the Primary school infant block;

3.    That approval be given for the expenditure on Option 2 of £500,000 to re-provide Children’s Centre spaces, parking and outside play areas, and the £3,000 remedial works expected to be needed to make good leisure centre spaces;

4.    That approval be given to delegate additional expenditure of no more that £249,000 to the Director of Children’s Services on Option 2 on the understanding that a full accounting will be reported through the annual schools capital budget report, in the event that the demolition and rebuilding of the school, and re-provision of the Children’s Centre project budget is exceeded as full feasibility on the new school is completed.

Reasons for the decision:

Following a statement on a new school re-building programme from the Prime Minister in June, the Department for Education, DfE have been communicating with the Head Teacher at Littleborough Primary School and Rochdale Council, and conducting a full site survey and feasibility assessment with the potential of the school being included on the list of possible schemes.

The DfE requires that the Littleborough Primary School project is “shovel ready” to be included. 

The Littleborough Campus includes the Link4Life Leisure centre, the Littleborough Children’s Centre and the Primary school and all these elements are affected by the inclusion of the school on the rebuild list.