To report the Capital  budget for 2007/08 for the Children & Young People’s Directorate and progress in it’s spending.

The Committee considered the capital budget for 2007/08 for the Children and Young People’s Directorate.

The Head of Financial Services reported that the Directorate budget summary, as reported to Cabinet on 20th September, was set out in the report and full details of expenditure on all Children’s & Young People’s projects were listed at appendix 1 to the agenda report.  The revised capital figure of just under £12m was fully resourced from a combination of Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) grant; borrowing approvals supported by Council funding; capital receipts and Section 106 monies.  Slippage to the capital programme continued to be a problem and this would be the subject of a report to Strategic Monitoring Committee.

Questioned on the slippage to Sutton Primary School replacement scheme he clarified that the budget had slipped from 2006/7 to 2007/8 necessitating a re-profiling of the budget, however, there had been no change in the gross expenditure. 

The Head of Commissioning and Improvement reported that while the Sutton Primary School replacement contract was well underway unfortunately it was 4 weeks behind due to bad weather.  He anticipated no major cost increases.  Questioned on any payment of late penalties under the contract he responded that only legitimate increases would be considered. 

In response to questions concerning the cost of the summer flood damage at a number of schools the Committee noted that the current estimate stood at just short of £1m and that this had not been recoverable under the Government’s Bellwyn Scheme.  This was because the risk was viewed as insurable.  The Committee noted that the Council had decided some years ago to self-insure and had set aside £250,000 to meet the risk.  A government grant of £160,000 had been received.  The short fall was being examined as part of the cororate risk management approach.

On questioning the need to refurbish the kitchen at John Masefield High School the Committee were informed that the authority was under a statutory duty to provide, where needed, a hot meal facility to schools.  The Authority was therefore improving the kitchen facilities at High schools so that they could serve primary schools in their pyramid.  Should a school let the school meal contract to external providers then the contractor would benefit from the refurbishment.

The Director reported that the funding of projects was getting even tighter and therefore the need to utilise all sources of funding was important.  In this context she commented that the level of Delegated Funding to schools may need to be reviewed.

The Committee requested that future capital reports include an asset list indicating the properties owned or leased by the Directorate.

RESOLVED: That

a)      the capital budget monitoring report be noted including that a report will be made to Strategic Monitoring Committee on the slippages overall to the Capital Programme;

b)     an asset list indicating the properties owned or leased by the Directorate be included with subsequent capital budget monitoring reports; and

c)      A report on school meal provision be considered for inclusion in the Committee work programme.

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