The Pre-Decision Scrutiny Questions and officer responses were noted.

DECISION

1.    To authorise the Corporate Director of Place to undertake negotiations with the London Diocesan Board for Schools and/or Raine’s Foundation Trust for a licence agreement (see Exempt Appendix 3) followed by a lease (see Exempt Appendix 4) for the Lower Site in Old Bethnal Green Road, E2. It is intended the license will commence on 1^st September 2020 for four months for a peppercorn rent, to enable the expansion in school places in the Oaklands Community Secondary School and ensure the LA meets its duty to provide sufficient school places;

2.    To authorise that the Corporate Director of Place to agree a rent (see Exempt Appendix 2a to the report), for the larger portion of the site (76%), for a two-year lease period with suitable break clauses, conditional on the negotiated valuation of the Lower Site that will be agreed by September 2020. If the purchase concludes sooner with the authorised owner of the Lower Site;

3.    To authorise the Corporate Director of Place to undertake negotiations with the London Diocesan Board for Schools and/or Raine’s Foundation Trust for the purchase of the Raine’s Foundation School Lower Site in Old Bethnal Green Road, E2 based on a joint valuation between LBTH and the Diocesan Board (see Exempt Appendix 2 b to the report); and

4.    To authorise the Corporate Director of Place to undertake negotiations with the Raines Foundation Trust to agree a lease for their part of the Lower Site for a two-year period and also to agree a suitable purchase price.  

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, CHILDREN AND CULTURE (J. THOMAS)

CORPORATE DIRECTOR, PLACE (A. SUTCLIFFE)

(Divisional Director, Education and Partnership (C. McInnes)

(Divisional Director, Property and Major Programmes (M. Rourke)

During discussion of this item the Mayor agreed to extend the guillotine for the meeting by up to half an hour in line with the Council’s meeting procedure rule 9.2.

Councillor Danny Hassell, Cabinet Member for Children and Schools, introduced the report providing a route for the Oaklands School to gain land to accommodate additional capacity by purchasing the Raines lower school site. This expansion would increase the sustainability of Oaklands school.

The Mayor noted the importance of ensuring value for money was achieved in the process. He noted the Pre-Decision Scrutiny Questions and officer responses and agreed the recommendations as set out.

RESOLVED

1.    To authorise the Corporate Director of Place to undertake negotiations with the London Diocesan Board for Schools and/or Raine’s Foundation Trust for a licence agreement (see Exempt Appendix 3) followed by a lease (see Exempt Appendix 4) for the Lower Site in Old Bethnal Green Road, E2. It is intended the license will commence on 1^st September 2020 for four months for a peppercorn rent, to enable the expansion in school places in the Oaklands Community Secondary School and ensure the LA meets its duty to provide sufficient school places;

2.    To authorise that the Corporate Director of Place to agree a rent (see Exempt Appendix 2a to the report), for the larger portion of the site (76%), for a two-year lease period with suitable break clauses, conditional on the negotiated valuation of the Lower Site that will be agreed by September 2020. If the purchase concludes sooner with the authorised owner of the Lower Site;

3.    To authorise the Corporate Director of Place to undertake negotiations with the London Diocesan Board for Schools and/or Raine’s Foundation Trust for the purchase of the Raine’s Foundation School Lower Site in Old Bethnal Green Road, E2 based on a joint valuation between LBTH and the Diocesan Board (see Exempt Appendix 2 b to the report); and

4.    To authorise the Corporate Director of Place to undertake negotiations with the Raines Foundation Trust to agree a lease for their part of the Lower Site for a two-year period and also to agree a suitable purchase price.