Agenda item

Report CSD14012

On 20^th November 2013, the Executive received the 2^nd quarterly capital monitoring report for 2013/14 and agreed a revised Capital Programme for the four year period 2013/14 to 2016/17.  The Sub-Committee considered a report outlining the changes agreed by the Executive in respect of the Capital Programme for the Education Portfolio.

The Chairman was pleased to announce that an additional £300k of Government grant would be made available to the Local Authority in 2015/16 and 2016/17 to fund capital works in schools to meet the growing demand for additional pupil places.  A one-off sum of £400k had also been provided for 2014/15 to equip kitchens in Local Authority maintained schools to support the provision of free school meals to all Key Stage 1 pupils from September 2014.  No announcement had yet been made regarding how these free school meals would be funded.  Councillor Nicholas Bennett JP noted that free school meals for Key Stage 1 pupils might also increase take-up of school meals at Key Stage 2 and above.  The Chairman highlighted the link between free school meals and the Pupil Premium and underlined the need for schools to continue to encourage parents to register for Pupil Premium if their children were eligible as this enabled schools to access significant additional funding.

In response to a query from a Member regarding the £297k carry forward of Children’s Centre funding from 2012/13 to make essential repairs to Castlecombe and Mottingham Children’s Centres, the Head of Education, Care and Health Services Finance confirmed that the Local Authority continued to be in dispute with the project manager and company which had carried out the initial work under the Surestart capital scheme.  The Local Authority contribution to the Phoenix Pre-School SEN Service was an historic carry forward of funding, and Members of the Sub-Committee were advised that following disagreement over the terms of the work, the Local Authority had never been billed by the Bromley Primary Care Trust.  These funds were being held in abeyance in case they were required but would otherwise be released in due course.

A Member noted the capital work that had been undertaken at Langley Park Boys School as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme, including the enhanced performance space.  The Head of Education, Care and Health Services Finance confirmed that the project should be completed on budget, excluding additional funds which had been provided by the Department for Education to fund asbestos removal.  The Local Authority had contributed £2m to the enhanced performance space for which a community use agreement was in place, allowing groups such as the Bromley Youth Music Trust to access the facilities.  A trading account had been established for the enhanced performance space, and it was hoped that the income generated through the rental of this space would support the maintenance of the facility into the future.

RESOLVED that the revised Capital Programme agreed by the Executive on 20^th November 2013 be recommended to the Portfolio Holder for Education for approval.