Notes of Meeting13 June 2012
Present:Mike Baldwin, Alan BarhamJohn Dennis, Roland Gooding,Sheree Hyder
Lynn Keeley, Bruce MacQuarrie,Phil Sayer (Chair)
Apologies: Nigel Brown, Simon Foulkes, Andrew Lamb, David Metcalfe,
Alison Osborne, Terry Whitlock
Item No / Minutes / Action by:1. / Minutes of Previous Meeting
Minutes of 14 March 2012 meeting were agreed as a true and accurate record.
Agreed notes are published on Kent Trust Web.
2. / Matters Arising
Maintenance Condition Programme 2012/13 – SH to circulate proposed list of works to the SCG.
Class Care – LK to issue an explanatory E-Bulletin note for schools.
CRB Checks – BM to report back to afuture meeting of the Group / SH
LK
BM
3. / Membership
Alasdair Paterson (Vice Chair) has offered his resignation from the Group and Andrew Lamb is to retire at the end of the summer term. The Group wished to send a letter of thanks to both AP and AL.
There are currently 2 vacancies for LA Secondary Head representatives, 2 for LA Primary and 1 Governor, including the post of Vice Chair.
The vacancies were made known and volunteers invited at the Kent Association of Head Teachers, an E-Bulletin is to be sent to schools inviting nominations.
The Group agreed to invite Grahame Ward, Business ManagerPentValley, to join the group following his expression of interest. / PS
SH
BM
4. / Sebastian James Review
BM updated the Group on matters related to the James Review:
- The Secretary of State has yet to respond to last year’s consultation. Government funding for school building investment continues to be allocated on a year by year basis. The Group agreed that some certainty of future funding is required to help plan and deliver school building programmes.
- National Condition Surveys
- Revision of School Premises Regulations
175 responses to the consultation were received, 50 from LA’s. Schools were more in favourable to a reduction in the number of regulations. The word “suitable” within the revised regulations was challenged as to definition.
The introduction of the revised regulations has been deferred until the Autumn 2012.
- Standardised Design
- Local Investment Plans
5. / Capital Funding
BM outlined theKCC Capital Budget allocationsfor new school building work. The three year Medium Term Plan makes assumptions about future levels of government funding for school building. As grant funding for2012/13 has only been confirmed so far and there is no certainty of future allocations (maintenance/modernisation grant has been reduced as schools move into the academy sector), caution has to exercised over the development and delivery of programmes of work and major projects requiring use of unconfirmed future funding.
A ranking process is currently being developed to help inform decisions on the prioritisation of projectsto provide fit for purpose schools The process gathers quantifiable, objective data against a series of measures, eg maintenance backlog and numbers of temporary classrooms, this is compiled into a single ranking list identifying those schools as least fit for purpose.
The Group were of the view that measures of deprivation and standards should also be gathered within the data collected and including in the make up of the single ranking list.
BM to circulate the process methodology for comments.
RG / PS to seek the views of the School Funding Forum and Kent Association of Schools on the proposed methodology.
BM to prepare a paper for RG / PS to be submitted to the Schools Funding forum and Kent association of Schools / BM
RG / PS
BM
6. / PrioritySchoolsBuilding Programme (PSBP)
The Group received the list of Kent schools included within the PSB programmed announced by the Secretary of State on 24th May. The Government wrote direct to all schools for which bids had been submitted.
Further information is awaited from the DfE on how projects are to be developed, delivered and the timescale for the programme. TheGovernment’s intention is that the first all new school buildings will be opened by September 2014.
VA colleagues retained concerns about the programme funding arrangements to the extent that they may not wish to proceed with VA projects included within the programme..
The Group shared and recognised these concerns, details of the terms and conditions of the programme including the precise funding arrangements are awaited. No decisions will be taken until this further information is available.
7. / Dedicated School Grant Programme
SH provided a progress report on the development and delivery of the programme of work. To date £3.2 million of the £5 million available has been committed.
Officers continue to identify additional work to add to the programmein accordance with the criteria agreed by the Funding Forum.
The Group requested a review of those schemes that had been identified within the original priority list but schools had chosen not to accept inclusion in the programme.
The completion date for this programme of works was originally 31 March 2013. The Group agreed to extend this date to 31 March 2014 to allow the unallocated balance, some £1.8 million, to continue to be available for works throughout 2013 / 14 this will allow the opportunity to take advantage of school holidays for works to be undertaken.
RG to confirm if any balance of DSG can be rolled into future years. / SH
RG
8. / Kent Fire & Rescue Service (KF&RS)– Response to Automatic Fire Alarms (AFA)
The KF&RS have advised that as from April 2012 all calls from automatic fire alarms will be challenged by the Service 999 staff.
During the day, 6am – 6pm, unless the incident can be confirmed to be an actual fire an engine will not be sent.
For a further year, until April 2013, a fire engine will be sent to calls to automatic fire alarms received at night, 6pm – 6am.
The Group expressed their serious concerns about these changes.
RG proposed writing to the HSE seeking guidance as to the procedure schools should follow to provide for the new AFA response arrangements. In the first instance the County Council’s Health and Safety Team to be contacted.
It was agreed that schools attention should be drawn to these changes.
SH to liaise with the LA’s Health & Safety Officer.
BM to raise the Groups concerns at the KCC/KF&RS Liaison meeting. / RG
SH
BM
9. / Oil Fire Boilers - Introduction of Bio-fuel
The Group were advised of a potential risk to the operation of oil fired boilers .Changes to the EU Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations have meant that the British Standard specification for Gas Oil (heating oil) has been changed to allow a “bio element” to be included in the Gas Oil. The addition of bio-fuel could lead to problems with boiler operation.The date for introduction of the new bio-fuel is not known and is dependent upon the decision of commercial suppliers The current prediction is that the new fuel supply would not be before April 2013 and could be later.
An assessment of existing oil fired boilers has been undertaken which has identified those boilers that are capable of conversion and those that may require replacement. Work is already underway to replace the seals and hoses in newer boiler stock to prepare for the introduction of bio-fuel. Where a replacement boiler is required opportunities are being explored for rep[lacing with other forms of heating including gas and biomass.
CountyMembers have been advised of the risk to schools boiler operation and consideration is being given to the identification of funding to support the replacement / adaptation of existing boilers.
Officers within the DfE have been informed of the County Councils concern, a response is awaited.
The Group commended officers’ proactive approach of investigating the potential issues and possible solutions.
10. / Solar PV Panels
BM advised the Group that schools are being contacted by companies with a number of offers for the provision of Solar PV Panels. The LA has concerns relating to some of the termsconditions and is not currently in a position to endorse these schemes.
The LA is in the process of preparing information and details of opportunities available to schools to help reduce energy costs the size of their carbon footprint. / BM
11. / Maintenance Contract
LK provided a progress report on the performance of the 3 maintenance consultants.
There are current pressures on the consultants due to the number of programmes of works, (Basic Need, DSG and the Maintenance Planned programme) and the need for works to be undertaken during the summer break.
LK advised that the LA’s Building Maintenance & Minor Works team have recruited both a mechanical and an electrical engineer. Steve Hamilton is now a permanent member of the team and is responsible for the Asbestos risk assessment / management.
LK also advised that an E-Bulletin had been issued detailing dates for training awareness for Asbestos & Legionella.
AB offered to forward details to academies, a list of academies, including those pending transfer to be sent to AB.
LK to forward a copy of the EBulletin to AB / SH
LK
12. / Date of Next Meeting
27 September 2012, 8am
Venue - Sittingbourne Community College, ME10 4NL
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