To consider a report by County Councillor Myfanwy Alexander, Portfolio Holder for Learning and Welsh Language and County Councillor Aled Davies, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Countryside and Transport.
Minutes:
County Councillor Pete Roberts, Chair of the Learning, Skills and Economy Scrutiny Committee and County Councillor John Morris, Chair of the Audit Committee presented the findings of the Scrutiny meeting held on 25th June. Scrutiny had felt that the Cabinet report had been incomplete lacking detailed costings for the Salop Road site.
Scrutiny had concluded that costs for Ysgol Gymraeg y Trallwng had increased due to the listing of Ysgol Maesydre part way through the Welshpool Schools Project but that this could have been foreseen.
Scrutiny had concluded that costs for Welshpool CiW Primary School had increase mainly due to contaminated land issues which could have been foreseen if the contaminated land register had been consulted at the site selection stage and to a lesser extent by changes to the specification requested by the client.
Scrutiny had concluded that the prioritisation of Ysgol Calon Cymru for newly available Band A funds was the best use of these funds because it was the condition of the school had deteriorated to C/D and as a high school the greatest number of pupils would benefit.
The Chair of the Audit Committee raised the capacity of schools noting that the Church in Wales school was being built to accommodate 360 pupils which equated to £28k (plus contingency) per place increasing to £37k (plus contingency) based on present numbers. Ysgol Gymraeg y Trallwng was being built to accommodate 150 pupils which equated to £41k (plus contingency) per place increasing to £77k (plus contingency) based on present numbers.
Scrutiny had made a number of recommendations
1. That the contingency fund for each of the Welshpool Schools be increased to 5%.
2. That the Contaminated Land Register and Radon maps are consulted at the scoping and site selection stage for all projects in which the Council is involved including those on land owned by the authority.
3. That the money released by moving Ysgol Gymraeg y Trallwng to Band B is used to improve the Llandrindod site of Ysgol Calon Cymru and if any funds remain in Band A when this work has been completed then those primary schools with Condition D buildings are prioritised for improvements.
4. That further work is undertaken on pupil numbers, appropriate levels of excess capacity when building new schools, cost per pupil of new builds and impact of new schools on surrounding schools to inform the Schools Transformation programme.
The Leader and Portfolio Holder thanked Scrutiny for their work on this project. It was noted that there was already just under 4% contingency for the project so an additional 1% would bring the total budget for the project to £16,972,972. The Portfolio Holder for Learning and Welsh Education accepted the recommendation that the contaminated land register and radon maps be consulted at the scoping and site selection stage but advised that the issue of pupil numbers had been fully explored some years ago and she did not intend going over that issue again.
RESOLVED having received the recommendations of the Scrutiny Committee |
Reason for Decision |
To approve an increase in the budget for Welshpool Schools Project to £16,972,972 to allow for a 5% contingency to be split between Band A and Band B. |
To enable the two schools to be built in Welshpool therefore improving the learning environment for pupils. |
To approve that any unallocated funding in Band A is invested in improvements at Ysgol Calon Cymru. |
To improve facilities for pupils in a major Schools Transformation project. |
Supporting documents: