Issue - items at meetings - Education Capital Resources and Capital Investment Programme 2015/16

84.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director for Children’s Services, which informed the Committee of the level of available capital resources allocated to this service for 2015/16 and recommended a Capital Investment Programme for 2015/16. The report was introduced by the Head of Education Planning and Contracts.

84.2    Councillor Simson asked how the authority ensured that the Voluntary Aided schools received the same level of support as Community Schools for areas such as Health and Safety or use of solar panels etc. The Head of Education Planning and Contracts said the Authority worked closely with the Dioceses to agree programmes and provide support where needed.

84.3    Councillor Wealls referred to Appendix 2 and asked whether the provision of £10m for ‘Additional Secondary Provision’ would be sufficient. The Head of Education Planning and Contracts said that the table showed funding up to 2016/17 and that the £11.4m already announced for 2017/18 and further years’ allocations would also be available mainly to provide additional secondary places.

84.4    Councillor Wealls noted that the programme included boiler replacement for a number of schools, and asked whether the Council would consider borrowing money to enable more schools to have a new boiler installed which, through energy efficiency, could lead to savings. He also suggested that schools could be lent money to enable them to purchase solar panels. The Executive Director of Children’s Services said that there was already an established scheme to lend schools money where necessary, and all requests would be considered.

84.5    Councillor Pissaridou noted the cost of expanding existing schools and asked if it would not be cheaper to build a new school. The Head of Education Planning and Contracts said that the issue with building a new school/s was finding the right location as well as the cost.

84.6    Resolved:

(1)   That the level of available capital resources totalling £18.383 million for investment relating to education buildings financed from capital grant, revenue contributions and reserves set aside for primary places be noted.

(2)   That the Committee agreed the allocation of funding as shown in Appendices 1 and 2 and recommend this to Policy & Resources Committee on 19 March 2015 for inclusion within the Council’s Capital Investment Programme 2015/16.