Borough council takes "unusual" decision to build school

Hampshire County Council has established a steering group and is seeking a "step in clause" as part of a section 106 agreement in order to oversee Eastleigh Borough Council's "unusual" decision to build a primary school as part of a 2,500-home development.

The responsibility for building schools typically falls to the county council.

However, Eastleigh has decided to build the school itself as the local planning authority and developer of the major housing scheme, 'One Horton'.

In an executive decision record from Hampshire, the Director of Children's Services said that the county council "would rather that all new schools are delivered following standard policy".

"This enables the county council to carefully manage and plan the process and ensure new schools are open and ready for occupation when required.

"Diversion from policy such as in this case adds to the risk of delivery and therefore, the potential of children arising from the development not being able to attend the new school when required."

The county council has set up an education steering group to ensure the school is delivered to the county council's standards and in line with the Department for Education's expectations.

It is also pursuing a section 106 agreement that includes a step in clause if the borough council is not delivering the building properly.

The county council's Deputy Head of Strategic Development, Richard Vaughan, said: "It's an unusual step for another local authority to take and one with no experience in building schools hence the need for the education steering group."

"Within the section 106 arrangements that are being put in place, there are what we call step-in clauses that will enable the county council to step in on a full cost recovery basis to deliver the school itself."

The 'One Horton' development will see 2,500 homes built alongside a local centre, a primary school and sports fields, new commercial hubs, allotments and a set of connected spaces and areas for wildlife.

A spokesperson for Eastleigh Borough Council said: “As was discussed in the meeting, it is usual for developers to fund schools by way of a s106 agreement with the council responsible for education and there is non-statutory guidance surrounding that.

“It is unusual for a council to be in the shoes of developer as Eastleigh is, and our ambitions for the Horton Heath project are to create an integrated community where infrastructure and important community facilities, such as a new school, are in place from the very start.”

The council added: “In line with what we seek to deliver for our residents across the site, we took the decision to build a school for our community rather than pay Hampshire to do that on our behalf.

“There is an Education Steering Group in place, and we will be working closely with Hampshire in the delivery of the school. There was no criticism of the decision to build the school at the meeting.”

Adam Carey