Decision details

To approve consultation on a revised policy for developer contributions for education.

*PLEASE NOTE This decision was originally published on or near the date of the decision and so call in no longer applies. It has been re-published as part of the change in committee management system that we use.*

Local authorities can seek to negotiate a contribution from developers towards the cost of meeting infrastructure necessary to support their development. For education this means asking for a contribution towards the cost of extending or reconfiguring an existing school or setting, or building a new one. In the light of changes to legislation and updated government guidance, it is proposed to consult on a new County Council policy for developer contributions for education. This will include the following proposals:

• Requesting S106 contributions for education across the County;
• Using our existing method for assessing whether a primary or secondary education contribution is required;
• Following DfE’s preferred cost per place (using national average costs published in DfE School Place Scorecards);
• Lowering the thresholds for seeking primary education contributions to 10 houses and for secondary education contributions to 25 houses;
• Introducing contributions for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Early Years for larger developments;
• Recommending the use of model clauses in Section 106 agreements for education contributions and for new education sites.

Consultation responses received will be included in a report to the County Council’s Executive on 21 April, who would decide whether to approve the draft policy for implementation from 1 May 2020.