Agenda item - Education Capital Resources and Capital Investment Programme 2016/2017

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Agenda item

Education Capital Resources and Capital Investment Programme 2016/2017

Report of the Executive Director Families, Children & Learning (copy attached).

 

Decision:

RESOLVED: The Committee agreed:

 

(1)  That the level of available capital resources totalling £39.947 million for investment relating to education buildings financed from capital grant be noted.

 

(2) That Committee agree the allocation of funding as shown in Appendices 1 and 2and recommend this to Policy & Resources and Growth Committee on 23 March 2017 for inclusion within the council’s Capital Investment Programme 2017/18.

 

(3)  That Committee agree to recommend to Policy & Resources and Growth Committee that they grant delegated authority to the Assistant Director of Property & Design to procure the capital maintenance and basic need works and enter into contracts within these budgets, as required, in accordance with Contract Standing Orders in respect of the entire Education Capital Programme.

Minutes:

77          Education Capital Resources and Capital Investment Programme 2016/2017

 

77.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Families, Children & Learning on ‘Education Capital resources and Capital Investment Programme 2017/18’. The report informed the Committee of the level of available capital resources allocated to this service for 2017/2018, and to recommend a Capital Investment Programme for 2017/18. The report was introduced by the Head of School Organisation.

 

77.2    Councillor Phillips noted that in the previous administration funding had been made available for the installation solar panels at schools, and asked how that funding had been used. The Head of School Organisation said he didn’t have that information, but would advise after the meeting.

 

77.3    Councillor Brown noted that for a number of years there had been a rolling programme for the removal of asbestos from schools, and asked how near the Authority was to completing that task. The Head of School Organisation said that he would provide clarification outside of the meeting.

 

77.4    Councillor Taylor noted that £5m allocated for provision of secondary school places in 2016-17 had not been spent. The Executive Director Families, Children & Learning said that that the money would be carried over until needed for purchasing/building the new secondary school.

 

77.5    Councillor Miller suggested that there was a discrepancy in the figures provided. He noted that the total works amounted to £4,688,321, but the Capital Maintenance 2017/18 was £5,047,510, so there was a difference of around £350,000. In addition, under Basic Needs for 2017/18 there was a capital commitment of £700,000, so in total there was a gap of around £1.1m. The Head of School Organisation said the difference was that the figure of £4,688,321 included the addition of fees, whereas the other figures were only the cost of the work. It was suggested that a fuller discussion be held with Councillor Miller outside of the meeting, and if there were any discrepancies it would be reported back to the Committee.

 

77.6    Councillor Miller asked if the Committee could be advised on what had been spent last year. The Head of School Organisation said a report could come to the Committee on works delivered if it would be useful. The Chair agreed it would.

 

77.7    Councillor Miller said that it would be useful if information on S106 allocations could be provided for the Committee, and was advised that a report was already scheduled to come to the next meeting. He noted that in Appendix 2 there was no Basic Need spending for 2018/19 and asked why that was. The Head of School Organisation said that no Basic Need spending had been allocated to the authority based on our projection of pupil numbers showing there is less pressure on school places in that year.

 

77.8    Councillor Miller noted that £15m had been allocated for the provision of secondary school places, and asked how that would be spent. The Head of School Organisation said it was funding for the purchase of the new secondary school site.

 

77.9    Mr Glazebrook noted that the 67 Centre was included in the Capital Works programme and asked if there was any thought on the future use given the cuts to the Youth Service. The Head of School Organisation said it was work required for maintaining the building itself rather than its future use.

 

77.10  Ms Holt asked how the new school build would be funded, and was advised that the cost of the school site would be met from the Basic Need allocation.

 

77.11  Ms Holt noted that the report did not include spending on Voluntary Aided schools, and asked who scrutinised the needs and spending for those schools if it wasn’t this committee. The Head of School Organisation said that there was a separate funding stream through the Department for Education, rather than through the Local Authority, for Voluntary Aided schools. Ms Holt asked if that information could be provided within future reports to the Committee. The Head of School Organisation agreed to incorporate this in a future report if the committee felt it would be useful. The committee agreed that it did.

 

77.12  RESOLVED: The Committee agreed:

 

(1)  That the level of available capital resources totalling £39.947 million for investment relating to education buildings financed from capital grant be noted.

 

(2) That Committee agree the allocation of funding as shown in Appendices 1 and 2and recommend this to Policy & Resources and Growth Committee on 23 March 2017 for inclusion within the council’s Capital Investment Programme 2017/18.

 

(3)  That Committee agree to recommend to Policy & Resources and Growth Committee that they grant delegated authority to the Assistant Director of Property & Design to procure the capital maintenance and basic need works and enter into contracts within these budgets, as required, in accordance with Contract Standing Orders in respect of the entire Education Capital Programme.

 

 

Supporting documents:

 


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