Dear Stockport Borough Council,

According to the Primary Capital Programme, PRINCE 2 would be applied to all projects. Was this applied in regards to the Harcourt Street school project, as I need to inform the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee?

Kind regards

Sheila Oliver

Dear Ms Naven

The Department and people refusing this request are the same people responsible for this shocking story;-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/j...

If this department is having to pay out circa £5 million for this school unnecessarily, it will, of course, have an adverse impact on the quality of service this already failing Children and Young People Department is able to provide. This is not a vexatious question.

Councillor Dave Goddard, Leader of Stockport Council, stated to me in a letter dated 23/06/10 that The Council.... is committed to continuing to increase the transparency of its activities."

Please carry out an internal review of this refusal.

Kind regards

Sheila

Dear FOI Officer,

Who carried out this internal review?

Yours sincerely,

Sheila Oliver

Dear FOI Officer,

The Information Commission said in early 2010 that you should be answering questions. I want this case re-examined.

Yours sincerely,

Sheila Oliver

Dear Stockport Borough Council,

This is the text of the Information Commissioner's letter. The Council should be answering these questions:-

Information Commissioner's Office
Promoting public access to official information and protecting your personal information
15th February 2010
Case Reference Number RCC0296506 / FS50232537 Stockport Borough Council
Dear Mrs Oliver
Thank you for your letter of 7 February 2010. In your letter you state that since the issuing of the Decision Notice in relation to case FS50232537 on 10 November 2009 further evidence has come to light which you feel no proves you are not vexatious. You also state that since the Decision Notice was issued all your subsequent requests for information made to the Council have been refused on the basis that the requests are vexatious.
The Decision Notice found that at the time of your request, which was 1 December 2008, your request was manifestly unreasonable and therefore Stockport Borough Council were correct to refuse to disclose to you the information you requested by virtue of 12(4)(b) of the Environmental Information Regulations. All Decision Notice must consider the circumstances at the time the request was made and cannot take into account circumstances that post date the request. If you are unhappy with the findings of the Decision Notice you should appeal to the First-Tier Tribunal (Information Rights). Any appeal should be lodged with the Tribunal within 28 days of the date of the Decision Notice. The contact details for the Tribunal are found at the bottom of the Decision Notice.
In relation to your second point, that the Council are now refusing all your requests for information on the basis that they are vexatious, the Decision Notice relates specifically to the request you made on the 1 December 2008 and does not make any finding regarding future requests. If you have made further requests and these have been refused you should ask the Council to review the requests and if following this review you remain unhappy with their response you can bring a new complaint to the Commissioner.
Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF t:0845 630 6060 f:01625 524510 e:[email address] w:ico.gov.uk

Yours faithfully,

Sheila Oliver

Dear Stockport Borough Council,

In October 2005 the proposed school was to be £5.5 million, it then rose to £8.2 million, £8.6 million and then £9.93 million. All questions about this rise have been banned for years:-

------------------------------------------------------
STOCKPORT METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

STATUTORY PROPOSALS RELATING TO FIR TREE PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NORTH REDDISH INFANT AND NORTH REDDISH JUNIOR SCHOOLS

NEW COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Notice is hereby given in accordance with the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 ("The Act"), that Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, being the Local Authority, intends to make the following changes:

In accordance with section 29(1) of the Act to discontinue Fir Tree Primary School situated at Browning Road, North Reddish, Stockport, Cheshire, SK5 6JW, North Reddish Infant School and North Reddish Junior School situated at Longford Road, North Reddish, Stockport SK5 6XB, with effect from 31 August 2008.

Any child who would have attended Fir Tree Primary School or North Reddish Infant or Junior School will be offered a place at a new community primary school to be opened on a new site at Harcourt Street, Reddish, Stockport (see below).

Children attending the new community primary school and living in its priority area whose homes are more than two miles walking distance from the school (for pupils aged under 8 years) or three miles from the school (for pupils aged 8 years or over) will be offered assistance with transport from home to school in accordance with statutory requirements and the Authority's policies.

In accordance with section 28(1) of the Act to establish a new Community Primary school for 525 boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 11 years with effect from 1 September 2008.

The new primary school wttbe situated at Harcourt Street, Reddish, Stockport. Children attending the new community primary school and lying in it» priority area whose homes are more than two miles walking distance from the school (for pupils aged under 8 years) or three miles from the school (for pupils aged 8 years or over) will be offered assistance with transportfrow home taachool in accordance with statutory requirements and the Authority's policies.

The number of pupils 10 b» admitted to the school at age 4 years from 01 September 2008 and in subsequent years will be 75. The Indicated Admission Number will bo 75 which is the proposed Admission Number for the school.

The admissions authority of the proposed school will be the Local Authority. It is not proposed that the admission arrangements forth* new school will make provision for selection by ability.

As the single Community primary school in the North Reddish area the school will bring together children from two separate neighbourhoods with differing social deprivation profiles. Through fully integrated provision it will improve understanding of historically distinct communities and facilitate closer social integration. The continuity created by being an all through primary school will mean that parents have a longer association with a single institution. The co-location of the children's centre will further develop continuity for children in the 0-3 age range and further promote the school's role at the centre of the North Reddish area community. The new school will continue to operate as part of the cluster arrangements with neighbouring schools sharing initiatives and engaging in joint activities as appropriate.

The new school will be an all through primary school for pupils aged between 4 and 11 years of age. In addition it will provide 12 places resourced for pupils who have a Statement of Special Educational Needs identifying severe learning difficulties as the principle learning need.

It is also proposed to co-locate, in the new building. Fir Tree Nursery School developed as a Children's Centre for the North Reddish area.

The statutory proposals outlined above and the non-statutory changes to Fir Tree Nursery School are all interdependent.

Within six weeks after the date of publication of the above proposals (by 15* November 2005), any person may object to or make comments on the proposals outlined above by sending their representations addressed for the attention of Chris Keeble to:

STOCKPORT METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE'S DIRECTORATE

TOWN HALL, STOCKPORT SK1 3XE

Within one month after the end of the representation period, the Local Authority will send to the School Organisation Committee for the area copies of all objections and comments made (and not withdrawn in writing) within the representation period, together with the Authority's observations on them.

5th October 2005

Andrew Webb Paul W. Stonehouse

Corporate Director, Children & Young People Council Solicitor and Secretary

Explanatory Notes

1. BACKGROUND

Consultation has taken place with parents, staff, governing bodies of the schools directly affected together with the wider community in the North Reddish area. This has included meetings, drop-in sessions and the provision of a written consultation document and response form which was also posted on the Council's website.

Following these consultations, the Council has concluded that the educational interests of children living in the areas served by Fir Tree Primary and North Reddish Infant and Junior Schools would be best served if the three schools were discontinued and were replaced by a new community primary school located at the new site. It has therefore published proposals to this effect.

STAFFING AND CURRICULUM

(i) At present, the 3 schools have a combined total of 24.99 FTE teaching staff, and a further allocation of 1.49 teachers for the resourced base (based on 8 pupils). Projected pupil numbers for the 2008/09 academic year suggest that the new school's budget could support 21.16 FTE teachers with a further allocation of 2.24 teachers for the resourced base (based on 12 pupils).

(ii) Fir Tree Primary School and North Reddish Infant and Junior Schools teach the national curriculum in full. The new community primary school will also do so. The new building will also help to improve standards as it will address shortfalls in current curriculum delivery areas and staff workspaces as well as providing an up-to-date flexible educational environment for children from 0 to 11 years of age.

ADMISSION TO PRIMARY SCHOOLS

(i) Any child who will be registered at Fir Tree Primary School or North Reddish Infant or Junior School in years R to 5 during the 2007/08 academic year and who would have remained at the school in 2008/09 if it had not been discontinued will be guaranteed a place at the new primary school. The parent of any child guaranteed a place in this way will be able to express a preference for a place at any other Stockport primary school (or infant / junior school as the case may be). The Council will determine whether or not a place can be offered by reference to its usual admission arrangements.

(ii) The parent of any child who will be entering primary school in Year R in the 2008/09 academic year will be able to express a preference for a place at a primary school of his / her choice. The application will be dealt with in accordance with the Council's usual admission arrangements,

PREMISES

The overall cost of the project Is expected to be in the region of £5.5 million. Approximately 45% of this will \i /
be met from DfES grants with the balance provided through the Council's capital programme, "~~Ax

UNIT PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH SEVERE LEARNINO DIFFICULTIES ^

It is proposed that the new community primary school will provide up to 12 places resourced for pupils who have a Statement of Special Educational Needs Identifying severe learning difficulties as the principle learning need. Any child who would hive attended the SLD Unit at Fir Tree Primary School in the 2008/09 academic year If it had not been discontinued will be offered a place at the SLD Unit at thi new primary school.

PROPOSALS FOR CHILDREN'S CENTRE

It is proposed to oo-locata, in the new building, Fir Tree Nursery School developed as a Children's Centre for the North Reddish area. It is not felt to be reasonably practicable to modify the building currently used by Fir Tree Nursery School to accommodate the Children's Centre.

In addition to maintaining a 78 place nursery for 3 & 4 year olds in the area the centre would provide: wraparound care (8 am to 6pm); create additional childcare provision for 0 - 2 year olds; create a childminder network and drop in facility with access to training; and provide Creche provision to support parents'/carers' attendance at training/support sessions,

The centre would also provide: a base for a variety of family support work such as family learning, parent & child play sessions; and, information sessions on childcare, jobs, benefits etc.

Child and family health services could include: midwifery drop-in sessions; baby clinic/group; health visitor drop-in sessions and speech & language support for children. The nursery/centre would remain a separate legal entity with it$ own headteacher, possibly operating under a federated Governing Body for the whole site.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By December 12th 2005 the cost was £7.5 million:-

NORTH REDDISH SCHOOL

ACCOMMODATION ORDER OF COSTS ESTIMATE

12-Dec-05 2:03 PM

CHILDRENS CENTRE

Classroom areas
203
m2

Offices/meeting rooms
111
m2

External covered area
60
m2

Outdoor storage
15
m2

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Basic teaching
1131
m2

ICT/food tech/science/group/D<S(T
92
m2

Halls
291
m2

Learning resource/library/SEN/group/sensory
157
m2

Admin and staff
220
m2

Storage
253
m2

Kitchen
71
m2

Toilets
133
m2

Circulation
565
m2

Plant
47
m2

Partitions
94
m2

Total New School Area (includes w«lims)
3443
m2
1650.00
5680950.00

EXTERNAL WORKS PRIMARY SCHOOL

New road
2000
m2
70.00
140000.00

Nature area
725
m2
25.00
18125.00

Hard play area
1190
m2
35.00
41650.00

Sames court
1650
m2
40.00
66000.00

Playing fields
2120
m2
6.00
12720.00

Security fence
550
m2
120.00
66000.00

Sates
3
Nr
1500.00
4500.00

Equipment

c

Item

45000.00

EXTERNAL WORKS CHILbRENS CENTRE

Tarmac area
185
m2
35.00
6475.00

Safety surface
185
m2
60.00
11100.00

Grass/nature trai 1
185
m2
25.00
4625.00

Equipment

Item

20000.00

Fencing (1.00m high)
130
m
60.00
7800.00

6as supply

Item

10000.00

Electric supply

Item

10000.00

Telephone

Item

10000.00

Water supply

Item

10000.00

New sewer and connection pipework

Item

10000.00

Abnormal foundations (piling)

Item

100000.00

Site drainage
8240
m2
12.00
98880.00

Building drainage
3443
m2
10.00
34430.00

Preliminaries on external works

Item

145000.00

Total Contingencies say

6553255.00 318000.00

Total Build Cost

OTHER COSTS

6871255.00

Newt survey

Item

1000.00

Ground investigation

Item

23000.00

Traffic survey

Item

25000.00

Topographical survey

"tern

5000.00

Planning consultant

Item

15000.00

Planning fees

Item

12500.00

Property survices fees

Item

550000.00

BUILDING WORK TOTAL
£7,7502,755.00

-----------------------------------------------------

May 2006:-

STOCKPORT

<Project Number> <Project Name>

Highlight Report for period from 15 May 2006 to 27 July 2006

Financial Summary

Budget £
Actual £
Variance £ (+/-)

Available funding
This Month
Projected overall costs (approx only at this stage)
This Month
Project (2.5 FE + CC)
This Month

Expenditure
E5.80M

£8.20M

£2.40M

Resource Summary

Budget (Man Days)
Actual / Forecast (Man Days)

Effort To Date

Effort This Month

Effort Next Month

Product Ref.
Product Milestones
Status
Baseline Date
Forecast / Actual Date

Ecological survey
Green
May 06
June 06

Ground Investigations
Green
April 06
April 06

Traffic Survey
Amber
March 06
May 06

Land use/CPO
\mber
?
Non critical?

OJEU
Green
Start April 06
Start August 06

Design (feasibility scheme)
Ambei
June 06
Complete by end July 06

Submit Planning Application
-
July 06
8m Sept 06

Appoint Planning consultant
Green
Feb06
Mar 06

Commit to invest

August 06

Status: R-Red; A-Amber; G - Green

-------------------------------------------------------

And then on to £9.93 million by March 2008, wby I asked, don't be vexatious, you replied:-

Also, they have said increased floor area from 2600ms to 3185 m2 at a cost of £1,050,000 using their own figure of £1450 m/2. This is actually £848,250 and not £1,050,000

Page 9 of 10

(iv) additional traffic work in the area around the Harcourt Street site, (v) new building regulations .

It is not possible to give a precise estimate of the final costs at this stage due to a number of factors, however, on the latest information that is available, an estimate is in the region of £9.93m has been identified.

The profile of additional costs which have emerged following the ongoing development of the scheme, include

Increased floor area from 2600m2to3185m2
Revision to the scheme
£1.050m

IT/Furniture
Due to additional areas and new specifications
£472

Additional 167m2
Changing areas increase -Sport England requirement
£280k

Design and Admin Costs
Additional due to increased scope of works
£60k

Mill Lane Development
Planning Requirement
£40k

Traffic surveys and work
Planning Requirement
£130k

Elevation Enhancements
Planning Requirement
£75k

MugaPitch
Planning Requirement
£50k

Football Pitch
Planning Requirement
£75k

Fir Tree Open Space
Planning Requirement
£260k

SUDS
Additional drainage at Environment Agency Request (Flooding Risk)
£75k

Services -including drainage
Site requirement
£23 1k

Sprinkler System
Change in Building Regulations
£125k

Consultations, feasibility, ground investigations, survey etc

£123k

CPO costs
Due to Mill Lane Development
£50k

CPO fees
Due to Mill Lane Development
£20k

Inflation to 2Q/09 (incl Part I)
Anticipated revised start date
£1.140k

3.2. Benchmarking

NPS have been asked to provide benchmarking data for the scheme. They have identified the following considerations taken in selecting the £1450/m2 figure adopted within the cost plan.

The BCIS (Building Cost Information Service) publish a MEAN cost @ 2Q/06 at £1182/m2 with a standard deviation figure of £274. This equates to an upper MEAN figure of £1456.

10/03/2008

Does any of the above look like good financial management? Andrew Stunell, Local MP and DCLG minister is happy to keep all the above secret. All questions on this matter are banned and have been for several years.

Kind regards

Sheila