COUNCIL

15 January 2019

Cabinet

Title: Proposed Development of new Education and Community Provision in .

Purpose: To seek Cabinet approval to undertake early engagement to further develop a proposal for a community campus for Ardrossan.

Recommendation: That Cabinet: a) Authorises officers to develop proposals for a community campus to potentially include Ardrossan Academy, Winton Primary School and an Early Years Centre, aswell as accommodating the pool and fitness suite presently at Auchenharvie Leisure Centre in Stevenston, accommodation for Health and Social Care Partnership employees and the present Ardrossan Library. b) Authorises officers to undertake early engagement with the Ardrossan Community and other stakeholders to obtain their views as outlined in a stakeholder engagement plan attached at Appendix 1. c) Authorises officers to submit proposals to a future Cabinet, informed by the early engagement process, outlining the recommended options for the new development within a financially sustainable business case.

1. Executive Summary

1.1 North Ayrshire continues to be ambitious for its children and young people and the ongoing investment in the schools’ estate is evidence of this ambition. 1.2 North Ayrshire has an exciting, creative and innovative vision for a high quality educational facility for the children and young people of Ardrossan. This new facility will also invite their parents, families and the local community to share and support their learner journey. It will raise aspirations, promote achievement and deliver links to further learning, training and employment. It will promote lifelong learning and community engagement for all. 1.3 Extensive community engagement will be undertaken to ensure the local community has its say in the consideration of the new campus and its proposed site on the North Shore, where it can benefit from the regeneration of the harbour and marina area, planned as part of the Ayrshire Growth Deal. 1.4 Through effective cross-directorate working within North Ayrshire Council and collaboration with other agencies including the Scottish Government, the proposed new development should provide the opportunity to combine education provision with community facilities as part of a wider focus on economic regeneration subject to a financially sustainable business case.

2. Background

2.1 North Ayrshire has invested significantly within the learning estate, with a number of sector-leading buildings delivered including the Garnock and Campus developments. In addition, major refurbishment projects to provide improved learning environments, have taken place at Kilwinning, Irvine Royal and Auchenharvie Academies.

2.2 A condition survey of Ardrossan Academy was carried out in May 2018 when the condition of the property was recorded as condition “D”. (Economic life expired and/ or risk of failure).

2.3 Winton Primary School and Early Years Class sits within a building of 119 years old, in which it is challenging to provide fully functional and flexible learning and teaching spaces. The condition of Winton Primary School is rated as a category B (Performing adequately but showing minor deterioration).

2.4 Ardrossan sits within an area identified as one of the most deprived in the country, as demonstrated by data from the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) data sets.

2.5 The children and young people of Ardrossan deserve the very best. They deserve the best start we can give them and the best educational experience in the best educational facility.

2.6 £31.5 million has been allocated to replace Ardrossan Academy within North Ayrshire Council’s capital programme from 2024.

2.7 In November 2018 the Scottish Government announced a programme of further investment in the Scottish schools estate. It has allocated £1 billion to this programme, available from 2020.

2.8 During recent discussions with Scottish Government officials, it has been made clear that ambitious, innovative and creative thinking is essential. A like for like build (a replacement Ardrossan Academy) or a campus type facility (Early Years, primary school and secondary school in one building) is unlikely to secure funding. This facility needs to be more than a school, more than a campus. 2.9 Conditions and criteria will be attached to the allocation of this funding and the proposed development of the new education facility for Ardrossan will seek to address these expectations in order to attract maximum investment. North Ayrshire is seeking to develop a sustainable business case to secure early access to this funding.

From previous discussions with Scottish Government Officials, it is likely that the following conditions/criteria will form part of any funding consideration.

A facility that provides/facilitates:  creative and ambitious thinking about educational space and how it can be used and exploited to the benefit of the whole community  innovative and appropriate curriculum planning and delivery leading to sustained positive destinations,  e-learning facilities which provide opportunities to enhance learning and teaching and provide access to and from remote areas as well as the local community  promote and deliver lifelong learning opportunities, including a further educational offer which is tangible and significant  a means to enable change and improvement in communities by providing community services and opportunities for community engagement,  open and transparent consultation that evidences extensive community engagement and a listening council,  sustainability and in particular sustainable public services  a clear brief which has clear, unambiguous goals and outcomes for children, young people and the community which can be monitored and measured  a sustainable business case

Furthermore, we will require to provide assurances that the project will go ahead – including details of planned pre-engagement. We have already built in extensive pre- engagement time to our draft timeline.

2.10 Our vision is to develop a truly transformational facility that supports educational attainment and provides links to real employment opportunities for the entire community. Realising this vision will support the regeneration of an area in much need of investment and provide an excellent community resource.

2.11 Our vision includes the provision of a place of learning from the early stages through to the senior phase and beyond into further and higher education. The new facility will provide a high quality educational experience for the children and young people and it will also invite their parents, families and the local community to share and support their learner journey. It will raise aspirations, promote achievement and deliver links to further learning, training and employment. It will promote lifelong learning and community engagement for all.

2.12 The location of a school is important to its success and prosperity and to ensure the new educational facility capitalises on this, it is proposed that we build on the North Shore. Here it will benefit from the anticipated developments for Ardrossan in the Ayrshire Growth Deal - an expanded marina facility and marine sciences centre at the site and the regeneration of the wider harbour, including the new ferry terminal and associated transport hub. The development of the North Shore will also release prime sites for private and social housing development 2.13 The new facility of high quality, flexible and modern learning and teaching spaces will incorporate a much needed replacement for Ardrossan Academy, a replacement for Winton Primary and a 30 place early learning and childcare facility able to deliver 1140 hours.

2.14 It will include high class health and fitness facilities, including a swimming pool. It is proposed that the swimming pool and fitness suite in Auchenharvie Leisure Centre, located in Stevenston, be closed and a swimming pool be included in the educational facility site in Ardrossan. Auchenharvie Leisure Centre is operated by the leisure trust (KA Leisure). Much of swimming pool mechanical and electrical plant and systems are beyond their economic lifespan and are presenting operational issues to the centre operator. In addition the fabric of the pool and surround also require investment and the layout and finishes of the building are dated and are not representative of the high quality leisure service KA aspire to deliver. It is proposed that the Auchenharvie Leisure Centre ice rink (refurbished and extended in 2011) remain in situ.

2.15 The new educational facility will also promote culture and the arts, the creative processes developed through drama and media. We would look to include a professional grade theatre and performance zone in the new facility, which could be used as a cinema/theatre outwith school use. It would also provide the school with an excellent facility to develop their drama and performing arts curriculum.

2.16 The present Ardrossan Library could be relocated within the new building, allowing public and school shared access and supporting the vision of a true community facility. Exploring the potential for integrating the Ardrossan Library within the development will benefit both the school and wider community. Combining the two will provide opportunities to create a greater resource than may otherwise have been possible with separate provisions.

2.17 The daily interactions young people will have with those using the library and other social spaces will promote positive relationships and citizenship. There can be further opportunities for intergenerational work.

2.18 There is the potential to include a catering standard kitchen within the educational facility and an operating café linked closely to curriculum delivery, providing opportunities to contribute further to the Developing Young Workforce agenda.

2.19 A technical department that welcomes tradesmen and artists into the new building will provide enterprise and workshop space which could not only enhance the educational and life experience of these young people but support employment in the community.

2.20 The new campus will embrace e-learning, and act as an e-hub to provide teaching, learning and conferencing facilities to the more remote areas within NA, and potentially, offer teaching and learning beyond our borders.

2.21 The Senior Phase curriculum would be strengthened by the delivery of new and more appropriate courses and access to work placements and experiential learning. Conversations have commenced with Ayrshire College and we would look to work in partnership with them to enhance learning opportunities for the child and the young people and the community. Furthermore, locating the school in an area of planned economic development will, as a result, enable access to the many trades and professions which will be sited there. If the location of the new facility is on the North Shore, there will be the marine-related industries which are already in situ and would be expected to expand with the doubling in size of the marina – not just engineering, chandlery etc., but retail, leisure and hospitality.

2.22 The proposed marine research facility, part of the North Ayrshire Council’s Ayrshire Growth Deal would support learning across the stages and the curriculum. Many of the children and young people in Ardrossan need to experience new and different things, be given opportunities they might ordinarily not have and be supported to create networks of educational support they and their families would not otherwise be able to access.

2.23 To further support well-being and develop stronger relationships across services, health and social care as well as other support services like family learning workers and counsellors will be on site, working as teams around children.

2.24 We will engage fully with the local community to ensure this voice is heard.

2.25 A facility of the type being suggested, sitting beside other developments, requires a prominent and sizeable location. A series of proposals are currently being considered, as part of North Ayrshire Council’s Ayrshire Growth Deal, and include a new residential development, a new international marine science and environmental centre and the expansion of the existing marina facilities. These proposed new developments will increase employment opportunities and support the regeneration of this area. The proposed site on the North Shore provides an expansive and prominent brownfield former industrial site that has lain vacant for a number of years. The site is identified in the North Ayrshire Vacant and Derelict Land Strategy, which seeks to encourage the sustainable reuse of such sites, recognising the damage that long-term vacant and derelict sites have on communities. It is recognised that there will be a need for work to be undertaken to ensure the site is suitable for development.

3. Proposals

3.1 It is proposed that Cabinet:

a) Authorises officers to develop proposals for a community campus to potentially include Ardrossan Academy, Winton Primary School and an Early Years Centre, aswell as accommodating the pool and fitness suite presently at Auchenharvie Leisure Centre in Stevenston, accommodation for Health and Social Care Partnership employees and the present Ardrossan Library.

b) Authorises officers to undertake early engagement with the Ardrossan Community and other stakeholders to obtain their views as outlined in a stakeholder engagement plan attached at Appendix 1.

c) Authorises officers to submit proposals to a future Cabinet, informed by the early engagement process, outlining the recommended options for the new development within a financially sustainable business case. 4. Implications

Financial: £31.5 million is allocated to replace Ardrossan Academy within North Ayrshire Council’s capital programme from 2024, additional external funding will be required to achieve the facilities outlined in the report. A detailed business case will be developed as proposals are confirmed.

Human Resources: There are no human resources implications arising directly from this report.

Legal: There are no legal implications arising directly from this report. The decision to move a school to an alternative site will require a statutory public consultation.

Equality: There are no equality implications arising directly from this report. Children and Young The provision of a place of learning from the early stages People: through to the senior phase and beyond into further and higher education will provide a high quality educational experience for the children and young people. It will raise aspirations, promote achievement and deliver links to further learning, training and employment

Environmental & There are no environmental and sustainability implications Sustainability: arising directly from this report.

Key Priorities: Key Priority 3: Ensuring people have the right skills for learning, life and work.

Community Benefits: The new build facility would provide opportunities for lifelong learning, additional leisure, training and employment opportunities.

5. Consultation

5.1 A stakeholder engagement plan is attached at appendix 1.

Caroline Amos Head of Service (Inclusion) For further information please contact Caroline Amos on 01294 324416. Background Papers N/A North Ayrshire Council Education and Youth Employment: Ardrossan Proposal Pre‐Consultation Stakeholder Engagement Plan – Stakeholder Version

Stakeholder Method Description/Notes Date/ Time/ Venue Local Elected Briefing at Policy Advisory To brief on the proposal including potential timelines and early stakeholder 6 December 2018 Members Panel engagement. To brief on the proposal including potential timelines and early stakeholder Head Teachers Briefing By Christmas engagement. Ayrshire College Meeting with senior Exploration of partnership opportunities, briefings and consultation. TBC management Staff Briefing Session Information session led by Caroline Amos at Staff (Teaching Ardrossan Academy and Winton Primary. Information letters to be issued to TBC and non- all other cluster staff teaching staff Staff Workshop A session for Ardrossan and Winton staff to work in groups to discuss TBC – one week from Ardrossan considerations of proposal and feed back to wider group to establish key following briefing and Winton) themes. session Establish a staff reference group to assist in the consultation process. Separate meeting with To brief group on proposal and on the consultation process. TBC Parent Councils of Ardrossan Academy and Winton Letter to all parents in the Issued via school bag drop – letter to include public version of pre- TBC Ardrossan Cluster informing consultation plan of proposal and forthcoming pre-consultation process Parent Councils Survey of all Ardrossan A process to gather views would be agreed with the relevant stakeholder TBC Cluster parents group, for example, on-line survey, focus groups, drop-in sessions Meeting with Parent Discuss a summary of the proposal document TBC Reference Group (Constructed of Parent Council Chairs of Ardrossan Cluster) HT’s to facilitate meeting of To provide briefing on proposal. TBC the cluster pupil councils Survey of all Ardrossan A process to gather views would be agreed with the relevant stakeholder TBC Children and Cluster primary school pupils group, for example, on-line survey, focus groups, drop-in sessions Young People by Pupil Councils Meeting with pupil council Discuss a summary of the proposal document. TBC representatives (Cluster Primary Schools) 1:1 meeting with Chairs of all To brief group on proposal. Seek views from each CC. TBC Local CC’s Stakeholder Method Description/Notes Date/ Time/ Venue Community (Ardrossan, and Councils ) Air Training Meeting Inform stakeholders of proposal and seek views. TBC Corps Ardrossan Meeting Inform stakeholders of proposal and seek views. TBC Academicals Rugby Club Three Towns Meeting Inform stakeholders of proposal and seek views. TBC Youth Forum Ardrossan Youth Meeting Inform stakeholders of proposal and seek views. TBC Association Ardrossan North Meeting Inform stakeholders of proposal and seek views. TBC Shore Positive Action Group (ANSPAG) Ardrossan Town Meeting Inform stakeholders of proposal and seek views. TBC Trust MSYP Meeting Inform stakeholders of proposal and seek views. TBC Meeting Discuss a summary of proposal. TBC All

Policy Advisory Report summarising pre- Paper will collate all responses received. TBC Panel consultation engagement Local Elected Briefing on outcome of pre- Take on board any feed back to refine Statutory Public Consultation Proposal TBC Members consultation engagement Cabinet Report with Statutory To seek approval to commence Statutory Public Consultation TBC Cabinet Consultation Proposal Media Regular PRs to provide Meetings and press releases to provide relevant and up to date information. TBC updates as required