Issue - meetings

There is an exempt appendix in the Exempt Appendices Section below.

(i)       approve in principle the recommended option within the outline business case at Appendix A, to refurbish and extend Ferryhill School and to provide a standalone nursery building, in line with the allocation of funding for this project within the Non-Housing Capital Programme, which was approved by Council on 6 March 2024;

(ii)      approve the use of resources to take forwards detailed design development for the recommended option; and

(iii)      instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to report back to the Committee with a full business case, within the next 12 months.

With reference to article 14 of the minute of meeting of the Education Operational Delivery Committee of 8 September 2022, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Families and Communities which presented a completed Outline Business Case, setting out the findings of a recent feasibility study, to identify options for improving the suitability of Ferryhill School.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      approve in principle the recommended option within the outline business case at Appendix A, to refurbish and extend Ferryhill School and to provide a standalone nursery building, in line with the allocation of funding for this project within the Non-Housing Capital Programme, which was approved by Council on 6 March 2024;

(b)      approve the use of resources to take forwards detailed design development for the recommended option; and

(c)      instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to report back to the Committee with a full business case, within the next 12 months.

The Convener, seconded by the Vice Convener, moved:-

that the Committee approve the recommendations contained within the report.

Councillor Malik, seconded by Councillor Watson, moved as an amendment:-

that the Committee –

(1)    note in principle the recommended option within the outline business case at Appendix A, to refurbish and extend Ferryhill School and to provide a standalone nursery building, in line with the allocation of funding for this project within the Non-Housing Capital Programme, which was approved by Council on 6 March 2024; and

(2)    agree the report should be referred in full to the Education and Children Services Committee for a decision on whether it is in the best interests of our children’s education to relocate to Walker Road School in the short term.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (7) – the Convener, the Vice Convener and Councillors Allard, Brooks, Cooke, Farquhar and Greig; for the amendment (2) – Councillors Malik and Watson.

The Committee resolved:-

to adopt the motion.