Decision details

The Special Education Needs Team within Education and Skills has identified a need to provide additional accommodation at Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Special School (QE2) in Horsham to provide for the 105 pupils currently on roll. Over recent years additional pupils have been accommodated by the school but without the supporting investment in accommodation. Pupil numbers have increased from 85 in 2017 to 105 in 2019.

In July 2020 the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills approved the allocation of £1.4m to fund the provision of a three-class modular teaching block with ancillary accommodation to ensure the school can offer suitable facilities for the 105 pupils currently on roll (decision ES02(20/21) refers). Approval is now sought to award the contract for carrying out the works.

The Director of Property and Assets has approved;

(1)the award of contract for the installation of a three-classroom modular block at Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee School, Horsham for the sum of £1,271,718.00 to Thurston Group Limited; the tender was within the pre-tender estimate of £1.58M

(2)   the revised budget of £1,624,061.73. This is an increase of £224,061.73 as a result of an increase in construction cost, contingency and professional fees from that projected at the feasibility stage.

To Note: In June 2021 the Director of Property and Assets approved that the contract for the works at QE2 school be awarded to Axio at a cost of £1,249,751.00; however, due to uncertainty within the market as a result of the pandemic, Axio pulled out. Consequently, it was decided to go out to tender to the remaining original five contractors to ensure a fair process; the winning tender from this procurement process was Thurston Group Limited. A copy of the original decision is attached to this report as an appendix.

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