Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

The Cabinet considered a report that set out proposals for future provision of the Woodlands Academy situated in Broad Lane, Coventry, for which the City Council was the freehold owner of the site.

The Woodlands School occupied a site of approximately 42 acres (17hectares) with the main school buildings situated on roughly 13 acres, with the school playing fields surrounding to the east, south and west. The buildings comprised eleven blocks, which had been classified as Grade II Listed by English Heritage/Heritage England.

Pursuant to the Academies Act 2010 the Woodlands School converted to academy status and became Woodlands Academy in 2011 and a 125 year lease was granted by the Council, dated 29^th July 2011, in accordance with the 2010 Act. In April 2016 a decision was taken by Woodlands Academy Trust to amalgamate Woodlands Academy with Tile Hill Wood Academy due to the unsustainability of the school. The pupils from Woodlands Academy transferred to be educated at Tile Hill Wood Academy from September 2016. These pupils would officially join the roll of the school from September 2017 and the school would be renamed West Coventry Academy. Subsequently, the Woodlands Academy would officially close from 31^st August 2017 as its funding agreement would cease and it was expected that a notice would be served on the Council to terminate the long-lease. It was anticipated by officers that the lease would automatically determine on the termination of the funding agreement on the 31 August 2017. If the termination clause was triggered as per the lease, the Woodlands Academy site would revert and become the responsibility of the Council as freehold owner.

There were a number of community groups using the facilities on the site and there was an expectation within the local community that this arrangement would continue despite the Academy ceasing to exist.

The Department for Education has confirmed that it has no other educational body prepared to use the facility.

The long term future of the site was to be determined but in the short term, a budget would be required to continue to maintain the site once the Council assumed responsibility. It was proposed to make budgetary provision until the 31^st March 2018 to allow the continuity of the on-going community arrangements whilst a longer-term plan was determined. It was also proposed to approach the Education Funding Agency seeking funding to assist with carrying out any necessary repairs to the Grade II Listed School buildings.

The City Council’s Education Department would hold the site within their portfolio whilst formulating a plan for the long term use of the site.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:

1)  Approves the allocation of a budget towards the on-going running costs of the Woodlands Academy site until 31^st March 2018, subject to the presentation and approval of a long term plan for the reutilisation of the site to the Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance and Resources, the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills and the Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration.

2)  Approves that the City Council’s Education Department fulfil the role of managing the site in the interim whilst formulating a long term strategy for the former Woodlands Academy site, with a further report submitted to the Cabinet outlining the strategy at a later date.

3)  Approves that officers will approach the Education Funding Agency seeking funding to assist with carrying out any necessary repairs to the School buildings.