Decision - Update on the Falmer Academy Project

(1)       That the Cabinet note the progress since the Cabinet Meeting of 16 October 2008.

(2)       That the Cabinet considers the outcome of the procurement process undertaken between mid November 2008 and mid May 2009 and endorses Kier as the Council’s preferred bidder to enter into the next stage of tendering.

(3)       That the Cabinet agrees that the preferred bidder undertakes the demolition of the central block and removal of trees as required during the school summer holiday period.

(4)       That the Cabinet note the requirement for approval of the Final Business Case in September 2009.

1.     Given the opportunity afforded both to pupils and the local community, the substantial capital investment that will be made by the DCSF together with the sponsor’s endowment and the exciting design and overall approach of the preferred developer and in the light of the outcomes of the formal consultation on school closure and the Government’s directives on BSF, Members are asked to approve the recommendations of this report.

1.     Officers and the Lead Member of the CYPT have considered the alternatives to an Academy to improve not only the outcome for pupils (which have improved considerably over the last few years but which fall short of the 30% benchmark for GCSEs when including English and Maths) and the possibility of rebuilding the current school.

2.     When work on the proposed Falmer Academy began the Council was expecting to enter the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Programme in 2015. The Council has now submitted a revised Expression of Interest for entry into the BSF programme and expects to be invited to join the programme before the end of the financial year 2009/10. As part of the BSF programme The Office of the Schools Commissioner expects local authorities to widen parental choice which includes the development of Academies. In this context officers continue to consider the Academy at Falmer as offering the best option for the pupils and the local community, and the site.

3.     Of the two options presented by the shortlisted bidders that of the preferred bidder scored consistently higher than the other’s.