To approve the proposed expenditure of capital grants for school buildings maintenance works and accessibility improvement works.

Cabinet considered a report setting out the proposed programme of works for maintenance of local authority school buildings between 2023 and 2026, and accessibility works for 2023/24. The cabinet member commissioning, procurement and assets introduced the report and explained that the grant funding received from the Department for Education is insufficient to undertake all the maintenance work that the council would like to do. The works identified through condition surveys have been prioritised and a contingency set aside for urgent items that arise during the period.

Cabinet members were frustrated that the lack of funding means the council can only do the minimum works to keep buildings safe and open, and not be proactive and enhance the learning environment for children in Herefordshire schools.

Accessibility works are planned for a number of schools to allow identified learners with special educational needs to access mainstream education. The prudential borrowing agreed by Council in setting the capital programme and budget was welcomed as it allowed work to progress in a timely fashion.

Group leaders gave the views of their groups. The pressure on funding was noted and the condition of schools across the country was highlighted as a national challenge. In response to a query, the cabinet member explained that essential statutory works had been prioritised and that the condition surveys completed in 2019 had informed the programme. Surveys on the environmental standards of schools buildings have been completed and the council will use this information to bid for appropriate grant schemes as and when they are available.

It was resolved that:

a)             The Service Director Education, Skills and Learning be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the programme of works, and any urgent contingency schemes required, within the approved budget of £3.75m for maintenance, subject to addition to the capital programme by the S151 officer;

b)             The Service Director Education, Skills and Learning be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the additional programme of works, within the additional approved budget of £2.7m for maintenance;

c)             The Service Director Education, Skills and Learning be authorised to take all operational decision necessary to implement the accessibility improvement works, within the approved budget of £1m for accessibility;

d)             The Service Director Education, Skills and Learning be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to vary the programme of works should the amount of funding received from the Department for Education differ from that used to determine the initial programme of works; and

e)             The Corporate Director, Childrens and Young People be authorised to take all operational decisions relating to the award of contract for the above programmes of work.