Decision details

The County Council has a statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for all children who need a place.

There is a need to reduce the number of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) moving into costly independent and non-maintained special school sector (INMSS) provision. The costs associated with these placements create financial pressure and are contributing to the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs Block being in deficit. Reducing the number of placements into the INMSS sector is a key driver in the DSG High Needs Recovery Plan. Increasing provision for children and young people with SEND through the creation of additional places in West Sussex Special Schools and Specialist Support Centres (SSCs) will assist in reducing this demand and assist with the aim of enabling children to attend school locally.

Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee School (QE2) in Horsham is a Special School for young people aged 2 to 19 with severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties. Due to the growing demand in West Sussex for additional pupil places for children with these areas of need it is proposed to create a satellite provision for secondary aged and post 16 pupils at QE2 School.

Approval is required for the allocation of funding from the Capital Programme to provide the necessary adaptations at the proposed satellite site - Arun House which is located in Hurst Road, Horsham for up to 60 children and young people aged between 14 and 19 years of age and for those that are post 19 years of age. In addition the budget will fund all associated fees, ICT and furniture and equipment. The freehold estate of Arun House is owned by Horsham District Council (HDC) and a separate key decision is currently being sought for authority for the County Council to enter into an agreement for lease with HDC and once the conditions are met, the grant of a lease of Arun House.

The Cabinet Member for Learning and Skills has approved:

(1)The allocation of £3.570m to fund the necessary urgent condition works; adaptations to the existing accommodation and external works as set out in paragraph 2.3 of the report to enable the phased establishment of a satellite site to Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee School for up to 60 children and young people from September 2024;

(2)The authorisation to commence a procurement process and delegation to the Assistant Director (Property and Assets) to appoint contractors to complete the design and cost the new accommodation.  Such authorisation to be subject to the Cabinet Member for Finance and Property approving the proposed terms for the conditional agreement for lease followed by the lease of Arun House from Horsham District Council;

(3)The delegation of authority to the Assistant Director (Property and Assets) to submit the necessary planning application and building regulations approval application and to obtain any other required statutory consents, and to enter into a construction contract or contracts with the successful tenderer or tenderers, such delegation to be subject to the Cabinet Member for Finance and Property approving the proposed terms for the conditional agreement for lease followed by the lease of Arun House from Horsham District Council

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