Decisions

To seek approval to spend a capital grant from the Department for Education (DfE) and council revenue funding to support the temporary expansion of Secondary pupil places at Private Finance Initiative (PFI) schools

That Cabinet:

1.      Authorised the Executive Director: Children and Education in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Equalities or the Designated Deputy Mayor with responsibility for city Economy, Finance and Performance, to accept, allocate and spend grant funding from the Department for Education and award the contract(s) variations (including any individual contracts over £500k) necessary for the implementation of the Education Capital Projects in accordance with Appendix I1 and within the maximum budget envelopes outlined in this report.

2.      Authorised the Executive Director: Children and Families in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Equalities or the Designated Deputy Mayor with responsibility for city Economy, Finance and Performance, to utilise £200k revenue funding to meet the PFI costs associated with the capital works (Appendix I2).

3.      Authorised the Strategic Supplier Relations Manager - Procurement and Commercial Solutions (the PFI Authority Representative) to take all steps required to make the required variations to the two PFI education, project agreements, PFI Phase 1A and PFI Building Schools for the Future (BSF) contracts, the relevant academy agreements and principal agreements required to adopt the changes.

To seek approval to extend the Short Breaks for Disabled Children Contract.

That Cabinet:

1.      Authorised the Executive Director People in consultation with Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Equalities to extend the targeted short breaks contracts for 12 months in line with the maximum budget envelope of £519,495 or an amount not less than 10% below (£467,545) as outlined in this report.

To seek approval to accept and spend grant funding from the DfE Short Breaks Innovation Fund to deliver a “bridging” service for young people with Social Communication Interaction Need or Autism.

That Cabinet:

1.      Authorised the Executive Director People, in consultation with Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Equalities to take all steps required to accept £740,847 grant funding form the DfE Short Breaks Innovation Fund, and enter into grant agreements for the implementation of the project as outlined in this report.

2.      Authorised the Executive Director People in consultation with the Cabinet member for Children, Education & Equalities to submit further funding bids and if successful to accept and spend the funding (which may be over the key decision threshold) to extend the project in future funding rounds during 23/24 as outlined in this report.

To seek approval for the closure of St Barnabas C of E Primary School with effect from 31 August 2023

That Cabinet:

1.      Approved the closure of St Barnabas C of E Primary School at the end of the current academic year (2022/23).

2.      Noted that the request to consider the future of the school was made by the Governors of the school.

3.      Noted the consultation responses at Appendix B.

To seek approval to accept and spend a Department for Education (DfE) Delivering Better Value in SEND grant to support the implementation of reforms within the SEND high needs system.

That Cabinet:

1.      Approved, subject to meeting the programme requirements, and any associated grant conditions, the acceptance of £1m from the Department for Education to fund the implementation of reforms.

2.      Authorised the Executive Director for Children and Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Equalities to take all steps required to accept and spend the funding including procuring and awarding contracts (including any individual contracts over £500k) necessary for the implementation of the programme from October 2022 to March 2025, in-line with the maximum budget envelopes outlined in this report.

3.      Noted the submission of a grant application on 1 February 2023 to Department for Education (DfE) for the Delivering Better Value in SEND grant.

To seek approval to accept and spend a Department for Education (DfE) grant to fund holiday activities and food programmes for the main school holidays during the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial year.

That Cabinet:

1.      Authorised the Executive Director Children and Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Equalities to take all steps required to accept and spend the Department for Education (DfE) grant to fund holiday activities and food programmes funding for 23/24 and 24/25 including procuring and awarding contracts (which may be over £500k) where necessary to implement the activities and programmes as outlined in this report.

To seek approval of the Full Business Case (FBC) and authority to proceed with the Housing IT Transformation Programme and extend existing contracts if required.

That Cabinet:

1.      Approved the Full Business Case (FBC) as set out in appendix A and exempt appendix I.

2.      Approved up to £7.5m (net, less sunk costs) over the next five years, drawn from Housing Revenue Account (80%) and General Fund (20%) to deliver the Housing IT and Transformation programme as set out in this report and Appendix A.

3.      Authorised Executive Director – Growth and Regeneration in consultation with Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes and S151 Officer to spend up to £7.5m (estimated internal and supplier one[1]off costs, over two years) to deliver the programme in full (including procuring and awarding contracts over £500k) in-line with the maximum budget envelopes outlined in this report.

4.      Authorised Executive Director – Growth and Regeneration in consultation with Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes and S151 Officer to take all steps required to confirm the Preferred Supplier and award the contract(s) necessary for the implementation of comprehensive new Housing system(s) (five-year contract, fully managed service, £4.4m total value inc. one off supplier costs), in-line with the procurement and legal routes and maximum budget envelopes outlined in this report.

5.      Authorised Executive Director – Growth and Regeneration to invoke subsequent specific and relevant extensions/variations specifically defined in the contract(s) being awarded, up to the maximum budget envelope approved as part of the Final Business Case.

6.      Authorised the Executive Director – Growth and Regeneration, in consultation with Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes, to take all steps required to extend the current contracts for Housing IT support services at a cost of up to £600k, should the Housing IT and Transformation programme not be fully implemented before they expire as outlined in this report.

To seek approval to utilise remaining funding from the Filwood Broadway Framework to implement the Filwood Broadway Development Framework.

That Cabinet:

1.      Noted the previous Cabinet report and decisions taken in 2012.

2.      Approved the use of the remaining funding from the Filwood Broadway Framework (major projects) budget toward the reinvigoration of the Filwood Broadway Public Realm as outlined in this report.

3.      Authorised the Executive Director Growth and Regeneration, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes, to allocate and spend funds from the Filwood Broadway Framework to the above project as outlined in this report, and to procure the necessary contracts for relevant works, goods or services (including any over £500k) within the budget envelope.

To seek approval to accept and spend Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) funding to deliver Heat Pump Installations, if the City Council’s bid is successful.

That Cabinet:

1.      Noted that Bristol City Council has submitted a proposal to the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to implement a project to increase the installation of heat pumps in Bristol set out in Appendix A and the outcome of this is not yet known.

2.      Authorised the Executive Director of Growth and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member Climate, Ecology, Energy and Waste; and S151 Officer, to, if successful, take all steps required to enter into contract with BEIS to accept and spend the funding of up to £3.3m (including procuring and awarding contracts over £500k) to implement the project as set out in proposals to BEIS and to make any amendments to the project as necessary for successful delivery.

To seek approval to procure a Strategic Partner to deliver a specialist single adolescent exploitation prevention service model.

That Cabinet:

1.      Authorised the Executive Director People in consultation with Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Equalities to procure and award the contract(s) necessary for the implementation of a specialist single adolescent exploitation prevention service including Return Home Interview Service for 3 + 2 + 2 years, in-line with the procurement routes and maximum budget envelopes outlined in this report.

2.      Authorised the Executive Director People to invoke any subsequent extensions/variations specifically defined in the contract(s) being awarded, up to the maximum budget envelope outlined in this report.

To present Cabinet with the latest detailed financial outturn report and identify any additional financial approvals that are required.

That Cabinet approved:

1.      The realignment of Capital budgets in 2022/23 following the release of £3.3m council capital contingency and return for future capital spending pressures (see Appendix A1 section 6.1.4.).

2.      The recommendation to utilise the Council Tax Reduction additional support scheme £0.885m in full in 2023/24 to assist households in receipt of Council Tax Reduction support (see Appendix A2).

That Cabinet notes:

3.      The General Fund risk adjusted forecast overspend of £11.3m, noting the position will continue to be closely monitored and mitigations explored; however, it is likely that a further Supplementary Estimate may be required prior to the end of the financial year and should this be required appropriate approvals will need to be sought from Cabinet / Council.

4.      The forecast overspend of £8.0m within the HRA (with actual end of year position being funded by a transfer to or from the HRA general reserve).

5.      The forecast in-year deficit of £18.5m accumulating to a total £43.5m carried forward deficit in the DSG for 2023/24, and that the Council and the Schools Forum are developing a mitigation plan which will seek to address the High Needs overspend.

6.      The forecast £15.2m underspend (including corporate contingencies and funds) within the General Fund against the latest approved Capital Programme’s Budget.

7.      The submission of a bid for £5.6m funding from the Combined Authority for the development of the Western Harbour Masterplan and Infrastructure Delivery Plan project. If the bid is successful, notification of award will come back to Cabinet under separate report as a key decision.

To approve the use of vacant land at Western Drive Hengrove to be used for the development of a permanent Gypsy Traveller site, subject to planning consent. 

That Cabinet:

1.      Approved the use of the vacant land identified at Western Drive Hengrove, BS14 0AF, shown in appendix A1.2 to be used for the development of a permanent Gypsy Traveller site, subject to planning consent.

2.      Authorised the Executive Director Growth and Regeneration to take all steps required to apply for, accept and spend funding and implement use of the vacant land identified at Western Drive Hengrove as outlined in this report.