Cabinet to discuss new William Brookes school

Press release - 26 June 2007

Shropshire County Council’s Cabinet is to be asked to approve proposals that would see William Brookes School in Much Wenlock rebuilt on its existing site by September 2010.

In November 2006 the council’s Cabinet agreed that £20million of government money should be invested in rebuilding the school under the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Staff, governors, parents and other agencies have since been working on an ‘education vision’ for the school, and a project plan that proposes rebuilding the school on the current site is due to be completed this month.

A report to be presented to Cabinet tomorrow (27 June) ask members to approve the use of a national scheme to identify a contractor to design and build the new school.

If the government’s ‘Partnerships for Schools framework’ is approved, two major contractors would be shortlisted, and invited to put forward designs for the new building. One contractor would then be named preferred bidder and their design used when the school is rebuilt.

If use of the framework is approved it is likely that work on the new school would begin in July 2008 and be completed by September 2010.

Ann Hartley, Shropshire County Council’s Cabinet member for children’s services, said: “This opportunity to rebuild Williams Brookes represents a wonderful opportunity for the school and for the council, and we are committed to getting the process right. I look forward to discussing this report with my colleagues at our meeting this week.”

Liz Nicholson, Corporate Director for Children and Young People’s Services with Shropshire County Council. said: “Since November work has been progressing and the project plan for the new school is almost complete. There has been some discussion about an alternative site for the new school but we now plan to rebuild the school at the existing site, and we hope that the new school will be open in time for the start of the 2010/2011 school year.”

ENDS

Further information

(1) The construction procurement framework creates a closer relationship between the DfES who must approve the outline business case and check progress at regular intervals. It would also help to reduce the time and risk involved if the county council was to run a bespoke procurement process and contract negotiation.

(2) William Brookes School was recommended for the programme because of its combination of strong management and performance, and the fact that the arrangement of the building is beginning to limit the ongoing development of the school.

(3) The Building Schools for the Future programme will eventually see all secondary schools in England refurbished or renewed before 2016. Further information on Building Schools for the Future is available at www.BSF.gov.uk.

For further information, call Norrie Porter, Head of Premises and Planning. Tel (01743) 254316
For media contact, call Gareth Proffitt, Communications Officer. Tel (01743) 252828