Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Education and Learning.

The committee received and considered a report of the Corporate Director for Education and Learning, which provided an overview of the acquisition of the former St Mary’s School site near Shaftesbury, to become the Dorset Centre of Excellence incorporating a special educational needs and disability (SEND) school.

Councillors discussed the issues set out in the report and the following points were raised:

·            There was regular monitoring of progress with the project and confidence that it would come in on budget

·            There was a clear timeline for delivery to get the school into operation

·            A request made for progress reporting on major projects and how this could be linked to the council’s performance reporting framework

·            The creation of a centre of excellence would bring together colleagues to work on research and good practice and could also include support to other local authorities

·            The People and Health Scrutiny Committee would be receiving a report during 2022 with regard to the operation of the school on the site

·            Education provision on the site was key but work was to be undertaken on provision of services to transition from Children’s to Adults services

·            Any other use of the site would need to be complimentary to education provision.