BUILDING SCHOOLS FOR THE FUTURE
E POTS
that are coming from the Department of
Children, Schools and families (DCSF) –
most notably BSF, the Primary Capital
Programme (PCP) and the remainder of
the Extended Schools capital monies.
However, it shouldn’t stop there, and the
opportunity to bring the local health
providers, the youth service, police, social
housing, leisure and the need for
community meeting space needs to be
examined. The Homes and Communities
Agency (HCA), that brings together English
Partnerships and The Housing
Woodlands Community College (designed by GHM Rock Townsend for Southampton PFI) is home to a Doctors Surgery and
facilities for other agencies including Surestart, Citizens Advice Bureau, City Youth Service, Playlink Toy Library and a host of
Corporation, is clear about the other NHS services including PALS, Midwife and Health Visitors.
importance of the involvement of
Children’s Services as an ingredient to childcare, library services, youth provision Partnership (LEP) has a monopoly on
successful neighbourhood regeneration. and a ‘front door’ to wider Council building schools, while the LIFT Company
Given the need for new homes in the UK, services. The financing of building the has a monopoly on building health
this is particularly encouraging. schools together with the village centres is facilities really does challenge the more
Away from the world of Asset complex, but the PCP monies have partnership-minded amongst us.
Management, there are other legislative enabled dialogue with other agencies with Perhaps some brave minister might want
changes that have been taking place that a view to sharing costs. I’m not an expert to consider bringing Partnerships for
support joint funding of capital projects. in construction, but even my sketchy Schools together with Partnerships for
The ‘Every Child Matters – Change for knowledge of pricing for building costs Health…. although that may be a wish
Children‘ legislation has made our public tells me that, pro rata, space gets cheaper too far. At the very least, I live to see the
services really focus on how we improve as the project get bigger. first LEP that can also be a sponsor of
the way we provide our services to families There are also advantages for the public housing, or a LIFT co that builds
– especially those who are most in need. running of these joint facilities. The a new neighbourhood nursery with
This will often involve co-ordinating our National College of School Leadership primary school attached. And if it’s been
professional efforts, and what better way and the Training and Development Agency done, then please accept my apologies
to do that than to seek co-ordinating our for Schools are both focused on the need and let me know about it so I can tell
workspaces? At the same time we can to examine what sort of staff we need to everyone I meet.
break down the old stereotypical view of respond to the challenges of today’s These difficulties have recently been
school as a place remote from its society. By bringing some of our acknowledged by the DCSF, however, and
community, closed more hours in the year institutions together, there are both savings I welcome wholeheartedly the recent
than open, and alienating to the most and opportunities to be had. Savings invitation from the DCSF for local
vulnerable. We can reduce the possibility because facility management is more authorities to bid for ‘co-location’ projects
that families are given contradictory efficient, office and reception areas can be – where a key requirement for funding
advice and guidance. The 5 Every Child jointly staffed and travel costs and time was that there needed to be the buy-in
Matters outcomes – keeping safe, being can be reduced as staff can come from at least two agencies, and that the
healthy, enjoying and achieving, making a together in joint (and comfortable) Local Strategic Partnership were to give
positive contribution and achieving meeting rooms. their blessing to the project.
economic well being – together with the So bringing together funding streams Progress indeed.
vision of the more recent Children’s Plan, can make good sense, give better value What remains clear in my mind is
make the bringing together of funding for money and improve the service. It will that it’s worth persisting with the
streams even more of a non-negotiable be no surprise to learn, then, that there problems, because the service on offer will
necessity. are some hurdles to overcome. While the be all the better for it. We all benefit from
There are already some excellent theory is sound, and often embraced that, especially those living in more
examples across the country. Solihull enthusiastically at a leadership level, there challenging communities. Better schools,
Metropolitan Borough Council has formed remain people within the system who seek better healthcare, better housing and
a Partnership with the private sector to to discourage joint working. It’s often seen improved public realm will encourage
regenerate a large estate that has fallen as simply ‘too hard’ (and, to be fair, it can a more active, better motivated and
on hard times. New schools and the seem that way) and other staff fear that more aspirational neighbourhood.
development of localised children’s joint working will erode their professional Success will feed on success, and, as it
services are at the heart of the project. It is autonomy. There are sometimes does, the pull on the welfare services is
an ambitious project to rebuild 10 new limitations on funding streams that can likely to reduce. So here’s to the next
extended primary schools, with 5 of these block progress. There are restrictions on round of capital spending, as long as it is
schools being at the hub of a new ‘village what BSF will pay for, and sterile limits joined up, and that co-locating a number
centre’ development. This centre will (now outdated) on how many square of public services is considered a
provide health and social care services to metres can be used for what. And the pre-requisite for the go-ahead.
the community in addition to wraparound situation where the Local Education www.navigantconsulting.co.uk
SUSTAINABLE FM | MAY 2009
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