THIS REPORT RELATES COUNCIL TO ITEM 15 ON THE AGENDA

STIRLING COUNCIL ASSETS, PROPERTY & FACILITIES MANAGEMENT/ EDUCATION

2 DECEMBER 2010 NON EXEMPT

THE REVIEW OF EDUCATION CAPITAL PROGRAMME PRIORITIES FOR FUTURE YEARS – SCHOOL ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN FRAMEWORK

1 SUMMARY

1.1 This report provides details on the review that has been undertaken on the Education priority list for school investment and provides the framework of a school asset management plan for future years.

2 RECOMMENDATION(S)

It is recommended that Council:-

2.1 Approve the reprioritisation as outlined in this report, including the new “priority list” (as outlined in paragraph 3.19) and the “priority projects list” (as outlined in Appendix 4);

2.2 Note that the Education Capital Programme for future years will be resource dependent; and

2.3 Note the assumption in regard to the rebuilding of East Primary School.

3 CONSIDERATIONS

Background

3.1 As part of the Diagnostic Review in 2009 the responsibility for Programme and Project Management of the Education Capital Programme for buildings has transferred to Assets, Property and Facilities Management on 1 April 2010, in consultation with the Head of Education.

3.2 The former Children’s Service had created a “priority” list of schools which specified those schools which had the greatest need for investment in terms of:-

• capacity issues (not enough space for the number of pupils);

• condition (greatest backlog of maintenance repair);

• suitability (premises/areas that were not fit for purpose to address curriculum or health and safety needs); or

• where there were other issues such as temporary teaching accommodation (revenue consequences).

Over the years, Council has agreed updates to the priority list with the last update being in 2007. Appendix 1 shows the existing priority list and the significant progress that has been made to date.

Approach to the Reappraisal of the Children’s Services Priority List

3.3 As there have been a significant number of projects undertaken since the priority list was first created, with relative priorities shifting as a result, it was considered prudent to have a full review to re-establish the Council’s priorities for investment within the Educational Estate going forward. To this end Strategic Asset Management and Education have reviewed all of the condition and suitability surveys for each property to establish the “worst condition schools”, the schools unsuitable for effective learning and teaching and those with the most significant capacity issues. A review of properties where there are temporary teaching units currently on hire has also been undertaken. The aim is to effectively identify the priorities that should now exist for school refurbishments using a 2010 baseline.

3.4 Children’s Services previously carried out partial improvements to the school estate, with the intention of bringing the whole portfolio up to a better standard. This has resulted in the overall condition of the estate improving – in 2006 the Council’s Core Facts Uplift to Scottish Government reported that 5 out of the 7 secondary schools were in condition C or D and 13 primaries were in condition ratings C or D. Following significant investment, all secondary schools are now condition rating A with only 1 primary school remaining in condition rating C. No primary schools are rated D. Although successfully improving the condition of a number of schools, this approach led to a situation where schools were having works carried out every 2-3 years. This disrupts the school environment and it is questionable whether it offers the best Value for Money from the construction contracts. As budgets are diminishing, and the estate is in a better overall condition, it is recommended that the Council accept a different approach of targeting whole school refurbishment or partial refurbishment over a lesser number of phases thereby increasing Value for Money and diminishing the disruption to schools. In this regard it is also recommended that the Council should only have a very small priority list, which agrees the “top 2” priorities for whole school refurbishment in any review period and allows the Council to more frequently review the priorities – which are changing at a much more rapid pace.

3.5 It is apparent from the previous information and ongoing survey works that there are “elements” within some schools that have a more pressing requirement for investment and cannot potentially wait to be addressed as part of a whole school or partial refurbishment eg replacement heating systems, window and roof repairs, etc. It is therefore recommended that in addition to having the priority whole school refurbishment list, as discussed above, that there is a requirement to have an elemental “priority projects list” that includes the worst elements that should be programmed for improvement as soon as resources permit.

3.6 The reappraisal also considered issues such as addressing the energy performance of buildings (as raised by Energy Performance Certificates) and any outstanding health and safety issues. Considered together these lists have allowed the production of a draft 5 year capital programme for the Education estate which is based on a critical success factors matrix which considers suitability, condition, sufficiency, potential for wider community use, sustainability, etc.

3.7 It is intended that this new approach will give greater transparency to the investment priorities and allow them to be reviewed and restated every two to three years, or more frequently, if required.

Inherited Capital Investment Programme for 2010/11 and Continuing Commitments

3.8 The capital investment programme for 2010/11 is £5.747M and has in the main been inherited from the former Children’s Services, with some additional pressing priorities that have had to be included. Appendix 2 outlines the details of the major spend areas.

3.9 In summary, the commitments which will continue into 2011/12 are as follows:-

• Cowie Primary School Refurbishment - completion

• Primary School Refurbishment and Extension

• McLaren High School Pitch

• Riverside Primary School Refurbishment (supported by Schools Fund)

Additional School Fund Allocation/Riverside Primary School

3.10 Members may recall that the Council were asked to submit bids (at short notice) for consideration for extra Schools Fund Allocation from the Scottish Government in the autumn of last year (2009). The Council submitted bids for Riverside and Primary Schools but received support for only one school refurbishment for Riverside. The Scottish Government, via the Scottish Futures Trust, confirmed that the Council would be allocated 50% (equal to an additional £1.8M) for the refurbishment, which was bid for investment in 2011/12 and 2012/13. Discussions are ongoing with the Scottish Futures Trust, who are programme managing the awards on behalf on the Scottish Government and the actual amount of allocation will be dependent on them agreeing the brief for refurbishment, including costings, and on the Council match funding the allocation. Works on producing the brief for Riverside

Primary School are now commencing to allow discussions to commence early in the New Year when it is envisaged that design works will commence. An allowance for this work has also been made in the programmes for 2010/11 and in future years.

Education Capital Programme Allocation 2011/12 Onwards

3.11 Following the review of the General Services Capital Programme and the reprioritisation process reported to Council in October 2010 it is clear that the Education allocation will reduce significantly as provisional budgets diminish in line with the Government’s Spending Review. An envisaged allocation profile, based on the October paper, but subject to review at Council in December, is shown below and has been utilised as a basis for planning the educational programme for future years.

Potential Capital Resources for Education Related Spend from Oct 2010 Paper

Allocation 2011/ 2012/ 2013/ 2014/ 2015/ Comment Heading 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Continuing £1.898M £1.3M £0.7M - - Includes Cowie, Commitments Doune, Riverside PS refurbishments/ extensions & McLaren Pitch

Education Energy £0.05M £0.05M £0.05M £0.05M £0.05M & Water

School Estate £0.5M £0.5M £0.5M £1.0M £1.0M

New Secondary/ - - - £1.9 M £4.0M Would be Primary from LDP contributions only as insufficient to provide new schools

Inclusion (Aids & £0.16M £0.16M £0.16M £0.16M £0.16M Includes Adaptation) Equipment

Total £2.608M £2.01M £1.41M £3.11M £5.21M

In the event that resources are greater than noted above, it will be possible to achieve more improvements to the school estate. If resources are less, then some of the items noted will require to be phased into future years.

Outcome of the Review Process

Condition

3.12 The review has highlighted that £6.9M is required to address the backlog of condition issues that are apparent in the school estate and have been quantified as in need of immediate, urgent, necessary or recommended action. The estate has been split between Primary and Nursery/Out of School Care provision and a ranking of “worst condition properties” has been

created. The secondary estate has been discounted as it has now been fully refurbished and the bulk is maintained under Public Private Partnership/Private Finance Initiative contracts although it is envisaged that an adequate maintenance budget will be created for High from 2013/14 onwards to ensure it is adequately maintained and the significant recent investment is not allowed to deteriorate.

3.13 A ranking table has been created using a £ rate per square metre which shows the worst condition schools based on the funds required to carry out the immediate, urgent and necessary works – recommended works have had to be discounted at this stage due to insufficient resources. The ranking table shows that the top three “worst condition schools” are Inversnaid, Cowie St Margaret’s and St Ninian’s Primary Schools.

3.14 It should be noted with caution that the condition assessments only cost repairing or replacing the defective elements. These costs should not be confused or considered to be the cost of fully refurbishing the school. Experience has shown that the cost to refurbish the school, addressing all the condition elements, and enhancing the property to address suitability elements and make schools fit for 21st century education, can be anywhere from three to five times the magnitude of the condition repair costs stated. However, the condition repair costs give a relevant reflection of the overall condition of the school for comparative purposes between schools.

Suitability and Sufficiency (Capacity)

3.15 In addition to condition, the suitability and sufficiency of the schools has been reviewed and although the suitability is in the main A & B’s, there is one C rated school at Inversnaid.

3.16 The Education Service have reviewed capacity in all of the schools using their modelling software and with the exception of Doune, Riverside, and Primary Schools there are no pressing major capacity issues that require school extensions. For Cornton and Balfron, the Education Service is considering options to ease capacity, which may not require building adaptations at this time. In view of the above, capacity issues have therefore been weighted less significantly. It is accepted that this can change quickly if there is an upturn in residential construction.

Energy Efficiency

3.17 Energy Efficiency, via Energy Performance Certificates and Energy Assessments, has also been considered in terms of the prioritisation and again the three “worst energy performing” schools are Doune Primary School (G Rating), St Ninian’s and Primary Schools (E Rating). The principal reason these schools all perform poorly is that they have electric or oil fired systems, which are very inefficient, with most becoming obsolete.

Temporary Teaching Accommodation

3.18 Several schools also have temporary teaching accommodation utilised and while the aspiration will be to replace all of this with permanent accommodation, resource availability is unlikely to permit this. In addition, much of this accommodation is superior to existing permanent accommodation, although temporary teaching replacement was considered as a factor in the overall ranking matrix.

Priority School List for Refurbishment

3.19 Appendix 3 shows the overall ratings matrix, which effectively shows the “overall worst schools” as Cowie St Margaret’s and St Ninian’s Primary Schools – Inversnaid Primary School has been discounted as future options are currently under consideration as part of a formal education consultation. It is therefore recommended that once the existing “priority” committed primary schools (Cowie, Doune and Riverside) are refurbished that the next two priority schools for refurbishment are Cowie St Margaret’s and St Ninian’s Primary Schools. It should be noted, however, that on current resource levels, these schools will not be refurbished until 2013/14 and 2014/15 for St Margaret’s Primary School at the earliest and 2015/16 onwards for St Ninian’s. It should also be noted that as St Ninian’s is a large school that a whole school refurbishment may cost in the region of £3M+.

3.20 It is recommended that the Council have a minimal priority list as priorities and resources change quickly. The educational portfolio should be reviewed every two to three years and by having a minimal number of priority schools the Council will ensure that the schools/staff are clear on their refurbishment timescales while giving the Council flexibility to review the situation as resource levels and need levels change.

Priority Projects List for Elemental Works

3.21 The data gathered during this review has also allowed an assessment of various elements that require to be undertaken in the various schools and their relative priorities. Appendix 4 shows a ranking of the major priority projects or elements that require to be addressed in schools that are unlikely to be fully or partly refurbished in the foreseeable future. The ranking outlines the top projects, in clusters of four phases, which are to be programmed into the provisional five year education capital programme. The clusters will be the priorities per year but there may be some flexibility ie more than five projects may be undertaken if resources permit. Works have also been clustered to ensure that disruption to schools is minimised wherever possible. For example, the Council would look to address as many related issues in one visit thereby generating greater Value for Money.

3.22 This review has also allowed the Council to commence preparing further frameworks for contractors to aggregate works to again hopefully ensure that there is better planning of works and better Value for Money from the aggregated contracts for glazing, roofing, etc over the next five years.

The Way Ahead

3.23 Should the Council approve this approach, the outcome of the review will be shared with all Head Teachers to ensure a clear understanding of the investment programme. It is envisaged that “mini reviews” of the data will be undertaken in autumn each year prior to finalisation of the actual programme for the following year. This will also allow Strategic Asset Management and the Education Service to take account of unforeseen events or sudden deterioration of a particular asset (eg heating system failure). A full review of all data will be again undertaken in 2013 and thereafter reported to Council to restate the “priority schools” and “priority elements” for the preceding years - hence ensuring that there is a robust and transparent process that takes account of change.

3.24 The fire at East Plean Primary School will obviously have an effect on the Council’s investment plans but it has been considered that the rebuilding of the school will be covered by the Council’s insurance at this point. Should this change a further report will be brought back to Council on this element.

4 POLICY/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS AND CONSULTATIONS

Policy Implications Diversity (age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation) Yes Sustainability (community, economic, environmental) Yes Corporate/Service Plan Yes Existing Policy or Strategy Yes Risk Yes Resource Implications Financial Yes People Yes Land and Property or IT Systems Yes Consultations Internal or External Consultations Yes

Policy Implications

4.1 The school estate requires significant improvement to ensure that the Council delivers its statutory duties and has facilities, which can be at the heart of their communities and available/suitable for wider community use.

Resource Implications

4.2 The above is in line with the General Fund allocation approved in October 2010.

Consultations

4.3 This report has been shared with Accounting Services.

5 BACKGROUND PAPERS

5.1 EX237 Executive of 4 June 2009 – Proposal to Move Secondary Support Service from Edward Avenue to Whins of Milton School.

5.2 SC357 Stirling Council of 2 April 2009 – Proposed Refurbishment of Bannockburn High School – Contracts CAM00885 and 00885B – Request for Delegated Authority.

5.3 EX17 Executive of 4 September 2007 – Review of Education Provision – Priority Primary Schools Refurbishment Programme.

5.4 SC603 Stirling Council of 7 October 2010 - General Services Capital Programme Review.

Author(s) Name Designation Tel No/Extension

Lesley Malkin Strategic Asset Manager (44)2597

Michael Boyle Service Manager (Education (44)2801 Business Support)

Approved by Name Designation Signature

Bob Gil Head of Assets, Property & Facilities Management

Belinda Greer Head of Education

Date 24 November 2010 Reference

APPENDIX 1

Former Children’s Services Primary Priority List

School Significant Capital Progress Comment/Additional Works/Phases Works

East Plean Full Refurbishment & Completed in Extension 2000 Cornton Nursery Completed in Extension/Heating 2000 Refurbishment & Completed in Extension of School 2002 Kitchen Refurbishment Completed in 2009 Fallin Re-roofing & Completed in Refurbishment 2004 Extension to Replace Completed in Additional Phase – Temporary Teaching 2007 Main School Accommodation/Additional Refurbishment still Classroom to alleviate outstanding capacity issues St Ninians Creation of Boiler Room & Completed in Additional 3 phases Phase 1 Refurbishment 2006 of refurbishment still outstanding Cowie Phase 1 – Nursery & P1-3 Completed in Phase 2 – Finishing Refurbishment 2007 refurbishment of remainder of school – due to commence in Autumn 2010 Bannockburn Curtain Walling, Windows Completed 2006 Further phases of & Ramps, New Main work still outstanding Entrance Riverside Partial Roofing & Glazing Completed in Further phases to Refurbishment of Nursery 2005 & 2007 refurbish remainder & Flexible Learning Space Completed 2009 of school programmed for 2011/12 & 2012/13 – dependent on Scottish Government match funding of 50% St Mary’s Refurbishment & Completed in Further phases of Bannockburn Extension 2008 & 2009 work still outstanding Partial Refurbishment Completed in Further phases of 2008 work still outstanding Doune Refurbishment of School N/a Programmed to be & Additional Classroom for carried out in Capacity Issued 2011/12. s75 allocation for additional classroom.

School Significant Capital Progress Comment/Additional Works/Phases Works

Strathblane N/a

Raploch Replaced at Completed 2008 Campus as part of PPP St Mary’s, Raploch Replaced at Raploch Completed 2008 Campus as part of PPP Aberfoyle Replacement of HORSA Completed 2008 Further phase to Nursery refurbish main school still outstanding Replacement of HORSA Completed 2006 Huts & Refurbishment of School (and creation of Health Centre Extension) Braehead Partial Refurbishment Completed 2008 (added to priority Window Replacement Completed list in 2007 due to Summer 2010 sufficiency issues)

APPENDIX 2

Inherited Capital Investment Programme for 2010/11 and Continuing Commitments

Secondary Estate

The refurbishment of Bannockburn High School is due to complete in November and will effectively mean the Secondary estate is now fully refurbished.

An allowance has been included for 2011/12 (slipped from 2010/11) for a contribution to improve the artificial pitch at McLaren High School. This is the only secondary school that does not have a full sized artificial pitch and although the school was refurbished as part of the Public Private Partnership project, the small artificial pitch was not replaced as it is actually included within the leased area of the McLaren Leisure Centre. The pitch is at the “end of its useful life” and now requires replacement and this allowance is a contribution from the Council to a funding package for a full size replacement pitch that is being promoted by the School, the McLaren Leisure Centre Board and the Council. Funding applications are in the process of being submitted but, due to application lead in times, it is envisaged that this spend will not be drawn down until next financial year (assuming the application is successful). If the project is unsuccessful the fall back position is to use the Council contribution to merely re-lay the surface of the existing small pitch.

Aids & Adaptations

Budgets are annually set aside for adaptation works, which are required to alter the estate for children who have specific additional support needs. Physical projects were completed at three schools for this year – Primary School, St Margaret’s Primary School, Cowie and St Modan’s High School (Autism Provision). The remaining monies are utilised for equipment and the Additional Support Needs Service within Education who have programmed the remaining allocation.

Energy

Energy conservation is another area where there is a small ongoing annual allocation and this has already been spent on lighting schemes within three schools (St Margaret’s Cowie, and Primary Schools). The Council commissioned Energy Performance Certificates, as it is statutorily required to do, for the largest schools last year and a number of efficiency measures have been identified from these reports. In view of the poor energy standard of some schools and to assist with our carbon reduction targets (as agreed as part of the Council’s Carbon Management Plan) a further £50K has been allocated for 2010/11 to carry out additional energy efficiency measures including a number of insulation projects, which will be on site in 2011.

Primary Estate

A final phase of window replacements and associated works was completed at Braehead Primary School over the summer and further window replacements have also been undertaken at Bannockburn Primary School. A proposal to replace windows at Kincardine In Menteith and Killin Primary Schools is also being progressed for this financial year.

A boiler replacement at Callander Primary School was also completed over the summer along with a new boiler at Cowie Primary School as part on an enabling phase of the refurbishment discussed below.

Children’s Services had additionally programmed the final phase of Cowie Primary School as a project to be on site in 2010/11.The design work for Cowie Primary School was completed over the summer and the refurbishment commenced on site on 15 November and will be ongoing until the end of June 2011. This project has involved joint working between Services with Communities and Culture assisting by allowing the school to utilise the adjoining Community Centre for Assembly, PE and Dining thereby saving the cost of temporary teaching accommodation resulting in budgets being diverted into building improvements rather than enabling costs.

Throughout the summer, archaeological investigations were being undertaken while the brief for Doune Primary School was being worked on, to allow the design to progress in the winter, for construction in 2011/12 assuming resources permit. Doune Primary School has significant capacity issues, which will partly be addressed by a s75 contribution that is due to be paid by Miller Homes for the Station Road development. Miller Homes commenced development on site in May/June and further discussions are under way regarding the timing of their contribution. Doune was already on the priority list due to the fact that it requires refurbishment/alterations. The Energy Performance Certificate for the school is G, which is one of the worst ratings the Council has. As there has been a longer lead in time in developing the brief for Doune Primary School, discussions are ongoing with the community, the local Development Trust and Community Planning Partners (RSHA, NHS Forth Valley, Fire Service) to ascertain whether there are possibilities for joint working on an Individual Settlement Plan type approach as part of the refurbishment/extension project.

Secondary Support

Children’s Services had also issued a brief for the conversion of the former Whins School to accommodate the Secondary Support Unit which was located in one of the worst (condition D) properties at Edward Avenue. This project ring fenced the receipt from the sale of the former Whins Schoolhouse but has required additional allocation from this year’s programme to fulfil the project objectives. The refurbishment works were completed in August.

Additionally, the Secondary Support project based at Calton Crescent was in leased accommodation from Barnardos who served Notice to Quit on the Council at the start of 2010, requiring that the Council vacate by summer 2010. This additional pressure has resulted in alternative accommodation having to be sourced/altered and construction work is progressing to alter the former Technical Support Unit accommodation at Riverside Primary School, for occupation by December 2010. In the intervening period the Service is occupying the accommodation at Edward Avenue until the new accommodation is ready.

The Edward Avenue building will thereafter be demolished in early 2011 as there is significant asbestos risk in the building and the site will be declared surplus to Education requirements.

Legionella

An allocation has also been made around rectification works that have arisen from the Legionella Inspections/Management Plan and a programme of tank replacements, etc will be on site early in 2011.

.

APPENDIX 3

NOTES 1) Cowie, Doune, Riverside schools have been excluded as significant works are planned at these schools. Raploch schools have been excluded as have Secondary Support premises. 2 2) Energy Performance Certificates only available for larger schools hence why no CO2 per m information has also been given with traffic rating of good – green; amber – acceptable; red/pink – poor. 3) Condition Assessment based on immediate, urgent, necessary repairs but NOT recommended repairs and condition ranking based on outstanding condition cost per m2. 4) Colour rankings of worst – red to best – green. 5) Condition rating based on condition surveys. 6) Moderated suitability rating based on a suitability survey undertaken by Headteachers and internally reviewed to ensure consistency. 7) Nur = nursery.

APPENDIX 4

Note: 1) Lowest phase numbers are greatest priority.

2) Work will be completed on the basis of financial allocation from capital programme and it is unclear whether a full phase of works will be possible to be undertaken in a financial year ie dependent on full specification of works and tender prices also.