Management Information Sheet

Purpose

The purpose of this MI sheet is to offer a brief overview of matters that Children's Services have become aware of across the department in recent months: to offer advice and solutions and to keep you informed of initiatives and changes to assist your operational needs.

Replacement LED project offering

Children's Services has identified capital maintenance funding to help reduce energy consumption and improve learning environments by offering a match funding opportunity to schools that are non-members of Building Maintenance Partnership (BMP5). If your school has funds available and would like to know more, please email chris.griggs@norfolk.go.uk and/or lea.marles@norfolk.gov.uk in the first instance to register your interest.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Good Estate Management guidance (GEMS) DfE

Following on from the update to the GEMS guidance. The DfE have released an Estate Management Competency Framework to further assist responsible bodies with management of school buildings and land, the link to this is as follows Good estate management for schools - Estate management competency framework - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Guidance on boiler maintenance and controls settings

(energy saving and regularising demand) NPS have offered assistance for schools not in BMP5 with heating control settings, with an emphasis on energy efficiency. For a fee, if your central heating system is operating during school downtime, this initiative could help reduce your consumption and bills. For further information on this please email brian.oakley@nps.co.uk

New water supplier

For schools with a Smarta Water account- Our current water supply contract is ceasing on the 31 of January 2024 after three years with Smarta Water. ADSM has won the contract via the CCS e-auction. Schools are welcome to join but will need to do so by agreeing to the contract and sending back signed documentation to crowncommercialservices@adsm.com with their SPID (appears on the water invoices and looks like a similar format as "3020723795W18" or "3020723795"). The change of supplier will mean that the accounts must be paid up to date, otherwise the current supplier will object to the transfer. Please can you ensure that all outstanding invoices are paid to ensure a smooth transition. However, schools will need to sign up themselves by contacting ADSM directly via the email address provided above. Returned contacts must be signed by 31 March 2024 for ADSM to provide their service to you. Any problems email chris.griggs@norfolk.gov.uk

The Zero Carbon Fund

Let's Go Zero is inviting funding bids from organisations and Collaborations supporting school decarbonisation. Grants of £100k are made across the year. Click here for full details of the fund, including who can apply, the kind of projects they will fund, and the grant timeline. If you think your project qualifies, please fill in the Expression of Interest here Zero Carbon Fund - Lets Go Zero

SuDS Sustainable drainage solutions

Some inventive solutions have been created to mimic natural drainage patterns and reduce the volume of runoff reaching drains and watercourses. They provide areas to store water and slow the flow of water to reduce flood risk in urban areas. Guttering downpipes can also be utilised to provide natural watering to raised flowerbeds, increasing biodiversity from growing plants around school sites. The Local Government Association presented on these at the Education Estates Conference in Manchester this year, more information is available at Sustainable drainage systems | Local Government Association

Tree Policy and Maintenance

At this time of year, it's particularly important to review your schools ongoing tree maintenance. Children's Services have recently been made aware of some dangerous trees on school sites that have been neglected and needing immediate attention. Deciduous trees in the Autumn/Winter months shed their leaves and can also create drainage, flooding and slipping hazards. Its important schools keep areas clean and tidy, commission tree surveyors and maintain the trees in or on their boundaries as part of overall site maintenance. As a reminder here is Norfolk County Councils Tree Safety Management Policy as a helpful reference guide.

Annex 1: Some pointers to good project procurement based on recent audits.

Governing Bodies should:

1. Document forward schemes in the school's Premises Development Plans (Premises, School Improvement and Development Plan and Access Plan)
2. Clearly delegate responsibility from Governing Board where the Governing Board wish to do this.
3. Oversee pre-tender quotes for financial planning and for benchmarking of tenders.
4. Fully specify requirements in a full brief for the tender process so that the detail of any eventual contract is understood by all the parties.
5. Ensure that the school has or has commissioned appropriate expertise and that winning contractors have the skills and expertise to carry out the specified work.
6. Follow contract standing orders. Take active steps to avoid conflict of interest.
7. Take all contract decisions at full Governing Body and minute decisions.
8. Ensure no unauthorised variations to the scheme after tender/contract.
9. Ensure ordering and invoicing procedures are followed and documented.
10. Retain quotations, tenders, and contracts for future reference/audit.

Guidance on the safety aspects to consider when procuring contractors are provided on HRInfospace