Decision Maker: Cabinet
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: Yes
Is subject to call in?: Yes
Legislation requires that housing development
should mitigate its impact on community infrastructure, including
schools. “Developer contributions” towards new school
places should provide both funding for construction and land where
applicable. Following the publication of new Department for
Education (DfE) guidance on "Securing developer contributions for
education", the team established a policy working group to update
the current policy. If adopted, the updated policy
“Staffordshire Education Infrastructure Contributions Policy
(SEICP)” will enable additional developer contributions, for
funding for construction and land, to be secured towards the
provision of Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) places,
home to school travel (mainstream) and home to school travel
(SEND).
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“It is essential that we ensure there are enough school places available for children in the county, and that any child who wants to learn in a mainstream school has the opportunity to do so. Therefore, it is important we assess the impact of any new housing development and ensure we have sufficient places.
Updating our contributions policy means we can continue to secure enough mainstream and early years places, as well as securing special education places and home-to-school travel assistance for eligible pupils”.
Jonathan Price, Cabinet Member for Education (and SEND) |
Reasons for the Decision – To consider the updated Education Planning Obligations Policy, now called “Staffordshire Education Infrastructure Contributions Policy” (SEICP) in response to new and revised guidance/legislation. The Policy outlines the Council’s approach to assessing the impact of new housing developments on mainstream and early years educational provision and the appropriate mitigation measures.
Decision – That the implementation of the updated “Staffordshire Education Infrastructure Contributions Policy” from 1st March 2021 be approved.
Report author: Andrew Marsden
Publication date: 18/02/2021
Date of decision: 17/02/2021
Decided at meeting: 17/02/2021 - Cabinet
Effective from: 24/02/2021
Accompanying Documents: