Walsall poised to back £1m spend for free school
Walsall Council’s cabinet is set to vote on plans to contribute towards construction costs at the former Reedswood Golf Course – unlocking a £45m government-funded school for the town.
In December, the government confirmed that the council-owned former municipal golf course, which closed down in 2007, would be one of 16 sites selected nationally for a free schools pilot project.
When it opens fully in 2028, the school will create approximately 1,000 additional places for local children and young people, and will include a sixth form and 24 Special Educational Needs and disabilities high needs places.
Free schools are funded directly by central government rather than by local authorities, with the estimated £45m cost of building the school set to be met by government coffers.
But in a report set to go before cabinet tomorrow, Walsall Council says it needs to contribute £1m to what it says are around £4.8m of “abnormal costs” associated with the development, which is located on a former coal mine.
Prior to becoming a golf course, the site was formerly part of the Reedswood Colliery before later becoming Walsall Power Station, which was closed down and fully demolished by 1987.
Now, the authority says the school scheme is set to encounter “significant below ground abnormal costs” – and agreed to a £1m contribution as part of its agreement with the government to get the school built.
If the report is approved, the council will also grant a 125-year lease for the site to The Windsor Academy Trust, at what it describes as a peppercorn rent.
“The payment of the £1million contribution was a requirement of the Secretary of State in order for the development of the free school to be approved,” aid a report due to go before cabinet tomorrow.
“In order to secure the £45million capital investment in the borough from the DfE to deliver the much-needed secondary school places, the council is making a capital contribution of £1million to the DfE to offset some of the abnormal construction costs.
“The council is a custodian of taxpayers’ funds and it would be financially imprudent to reject the free school proposal made by the Secretary of State which limits the council’s spend in respect of the provision of these additional school places to £1m.”
The contribution is included in agreed capital spending plans, but needs to be signed off by cabinet as it exceeds an authorisation limit of £500,000.
Walsall Council’s cabinet will vote on the recommendations at a meeting on 11 February.
