Decision details

The Director, Education and Inclusion Services provided Cabinet Members with an update on the Mutual Investment Model (MIM) funding element of Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme and sought Cabinet approval to enter into a Strategic Partnering Agreement with Welsh Education PartnershipCo (WEPCo) to facilitate the delivery of education and community facilities. The Director also sought Cabinet approval to appoint the Temporary Service Director for 21^st Century Schools and Transformation and / or Director of Corporate Estates  as ‘Participant Representative’ to sit on the Strategic Partnering Board.

The Director asked Cabinet to note that approval to enter into a Project Agreement for any of the Pathfinder Projects would be brought back to Cabinet in future for determination and that agreeing to enter into the Strategic Partnering Agreement would not commit the Council to enter into contractual arrangements in relation to any projects. 

The Cabinet Member for Education and Inclusion Services thanked the Director for the complex and comprehensive report. The Cabinet Member spoke of the need to continue the school modernisation agenda and therefore, the need to access revenue funding via MIM and to enter into a Strategic Partnership Agreement with WEPCo for the delivery. The Cabinet Member emphasised that the MIM Model is different and more polished to the previous PFI model and stated that ownership would remain with the Local Authority. In respect of the appointment as ‘Participant Representative’ to sit on the Strategic Partnership Board, the Cabinet Member was happy with the recommendations and thought it would be beneficial for both officers to attend meetings, dependent on the agenda, due to their various expertise.

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Services voiced his support for the proposals to continue to improve the school facilities and agreed that the SPB Membership would benefit from the expertise of both officers. The Cabinet Member questioned whether it would be possible for the Council to tender for undertaking some of the maintenance work which may arise.

The Leader echoed the comments of the Cabinet Member in respect of the Council undertaking some of the work and revenue if the option is available.

The Cabinet RESOLVED:

1.    To note the outcome of the Preferred Bidder Stage of the Competitive Dialogue Procedure under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as outlined in this report;

2.    To be a party to the execution, delivery and performance of the Strategic Partnering Agreement with the Welsh Education PartnershipCo (WEPCo) in September 2020 to facilitate the delivery of a range of infrastructure services and the delivery of education and community facilities;

3.    To approve the Strategic Partnering Agreement at exempt Appendix A of the report and summarised in paragraphs 4.6 to 4.16 and Appendix 1 of this report;

4.    To note that the Strategic Partnering Agreement shall be executed as a deed and attested in accordance with Article 14.05 of Part 2 of the Council’s Constitution;

5.    To approve Andrea Richards, Temporary Service Director for 21^st Century Schools and Transformation and / or Dave Powell, Director of Corporate Estates for appointment as ‘Participant Representative’ to sit on the Strategic Partnering Board (SPB);

6.    To begin the Approval Process for New Projects as set out in Schedule 5 of the Strategic Partnering Agreement for the delivery of new school buildings and for a Strategic Outline Business Case for three initial Pathfinder Projects be submitted to the Welsh Government. The three Pathfinder Projects are Llanilltud Faerdref Primary School, Pontyclun Primary School and Penygawsi Primary School. A further report regarding funding arrangements will be brought back to Council for approval at a future date; and

7.    To note that formal approval to proceed to deliver any new project including a Pathfinder Project, and to enter into associated legal documentation to facilitate the same including a Project Agreement, would require further approval of the Cabinet.