Agenda item

With reference to paragraph 15 of the Minute of 28 November 2018, there had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Assets and Infrastructure providing an update on the progress with the Peebles High School project.  The report to Council on 28 November 2018 identified that individualised delivery plans should continue to be prepared for Galashiels, Hawick, Selkirk and Peebles High School.  The report identified the priority ranking for the delivery of Peebles High School in terms of following on from Galashiels, Hawick and Selkirk.  The fire at the school in November 2019 necessitated a reactive change of approach to Peebles High School and the inclusion of a project in the 2020/21 Capital Investment Plan.  Discussions had continued during 2020 with the Council’s insurance provider over the claim for loss associated with the fire.  This was now reaching settlement.  Progress had been made with the feasibility study that had considered the replacement of the parts of the building lost or damaged by the fire.  This would require the retention of significant parts of the building and lead to compromises in form, and function.  The delivery timescales for fully opening the new school would also be extended.  The retention of the Millennium Wing would require the rebuild to proceed in close proximity to the functioning school and as such officers had now considered whether a complete new build would provide better value in terms of time and cost.  A further short study had therefore now been undertaken to explore an alternative new build solution at Peebles High School.  The purpose of this was to assess the benefits, cost and timescales of the different solutions available to establish which best supported educational objectives, supporting learners in Peebles over the longer term.  The initial proposal was considered to have merit, overcoming the issues associated with the retention of the Millennium Wing noted above.  It was therefore proposed that the complete new build option should be worked up into a full proposal for consideration.  In the continued presence of COVID-19, community consultation would have to rely on digital forms of communication.  To assist with the next stages of the project, the appointment of an external stakeholder engagement organisation to work with the delivery team was proposed.  Members welcomed the report and emphasised the need for effective consultation with the community.  Councillor Bell proposed that the word “now” be removed from recommendation (f) and this was unanimously approved.

DECISION

AGREED:-

(a)   to note the contents of this report;

(b)  that the further entirely new build feasibility study work was concluded;

(c)   the appointment of engagement consultants to assist with a digital themed community consultation process;

(d)  to note the insurance settlement for the school was likely to fall short of original expectations and would require additional council capital funding to complete the project;

(e)   that a follow on report be provided in January setting out the costs and benefits of the partial rebuild, full rebuild options for inclusion in the capital programme; and

(f)   that in a change to the original plan, the old science block would be demolished reducing future running costs for the school.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 1.30 pm for lunch and reconvened at 2.00 p.m.