Contact: Gordon Shinn ext: 7526, Alan Bloomfield ext: 7229

1 Summary

1.1 This report proposes the Social Services capital programme for 2002/03 to 2005/06. The Social Care Executive member is being recommended to approve for submission to the Cabinet:

· The capital programme as set out in Appendix 1

1.2 Prior to the Executive member considering the budget, this report is being presented to the Social Care Policy Review Committee to provide the Committee with the opportunity to comment to the Executive Member on the proposals.

2 Introduction

2.1 The Cabinet at its meeting on 17 December 2001 asked Executive members to prepare proposals for:

· a locally-resourced capital programme for the four-year period from 2002/03 to 2005/06 within the guidelines of the current capital programme uplifted for inflation, and

· capital schemes supported by scheme or programme specific Government grants and borrowing approvals for 2002/03 and those expected to be supported in 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2005/06.

2.2 For this service, the guidelines for the locally resourced programme are:

2.3 The guidelines include an addition of 2.5% for inflation, in line with the non-pay inflation assumption for the revenue budget, plus an additional provision to cover the impact on capital costs of the aggregates levy to be introduced by the Government from April 2002.

2.4 Executive members may vary these guidelines between years provided their total four-year guideline is not exceeded and bunching of payments in any one year or front-loading are avoided.

2.5 In addition, Executive members may supplement their guidelines with their services' own resources by virement from their revenue budgets. Executive members may also anticipate in these proposals their share of those capital receipts that have actually been obtained so far in 2001/02.

3 Capital programme 2002/03 to 2005/06 - schemes within the guideline for the locally resourced capital programme

3.1 Given the current guideline levels it is not possible to include any major schemes in the four-year programme. The proposed programme consists only of "block allocations" at the minimum level necessary to deal with Health and Safety and other statutory requirements. There is no scope for service developments with major capital implications.

4 Capital programme 2002/03 to 2005/06 - schemes supported by Government approvals

4.1 No details of SCA allocations have yet been received but it is anticipated that proposals will be invited for mental health services. If so proposals will be submitted for members' consideration in due course.

4.2 Two grants have been notified by Department of Health for funding in 2002/03. £366,000 for improving information management and £136,000 for provision of information technology for looked after children and care leavers.

5 Capital Programme Summary

5.1 On the basis of the position outlined above, the total value of the capital programmes submitted for consideration for the four years to 2005/06 are:

6 Revenue Implications

6.1 The revenue implications of the proposed capital programme are as follows:

6.2 The total revenue implications for the four years of the starts programme, including capital charges, represent a real term increase of 0.30 % over the 2001/02 original budget of this service.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works.

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

None