Contact: Contact: Bob Eardley, Strategic Planning Manager, 01962 846275

1. Summary

1.1 The following decisions are sought:

1. That the following variations to the 2003/04 Education capital programme be approved:

(a) an increase in the estimated cost of the extension of Test Valley School, Stockbridge from £0.596m to £0.696m, to be met from the capital programme contingency;

(b) addition of a major scheme to provide the Lanterns Early Years Centre, Winchester at a cost of £2.684m;

(c) an addition of resources of £0.715m from DfES grant, £1.56m from the School Balances Loan Fund and £0.237m from the capital programme contingency, towards the cost of provision of the Lanterns Early years Centre, Winchester;

(d) an addition of resources totalling £0.90m for specialist school provision;

2. Reason

2.1 To approve variations to the Education capital programme.

3. Other options considered and rejected - none.

4. Conflicts of interest declared by the decision maker or a member or officer consulted - none

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - not applicable.

6. Reasons for the matter being dealt with if urgent - not applicable.

Approved by Date of decision

Councillor TK Thornber

Contact: Bob Eardley, Strategic Planning Manager, 01962 846275

1. Summary

1.1 This report sets out proposed changes to the 2003/04 capital programme, following decisions by the Executive Member, Education on 4 December 2003.

2. Proposed amendments to 2003/04 capital programme

Test Valley School, Stockbridge

2.1 There is provision of £0.806m in the current year's capital programme for the provision of 102 additional basic need places at Test Valley School, Stockbridge. Of this sum, £0.210m has been earmarked as a contribution towards the provision of a sports hall, for which the bulk of the funding is provided by the New Opportunities fund. The remaining provision of £0.596m is identified to provide four additional teaching spaces and a new science laboratory.

2.2 Severe site constraints have led to current estimated costs for this work being £0.1m in excess of the budget provision, in spite of a number of savings having been made. The site is in a very difficult location and the project requires construction of an expensive temporary road to the playing field; the site slopes and is very overgrown with trees and shrubs. There is very little space for delivery and storage of materials, which will mean some double handling from the sports hall site. As these additional costs are unavoidable, it is recommended that additional funding of £0.1m is made available from the capital programme contingency to allow this project to proceed.

Lanterns Early Years Centre, Winchester

2.3 It was reported in the annual capital programme report in January 2003 that an application had been submitted to the DfES in September 2002 for a capital grant of £715,000 towards the cost of providing an Early Excellence Centre on a site in Bereweeke Road, Winchester. The application has recently been approved and the grant is now available. The overall project cost is estimated at £2.684m, including furniture and equipment. Available funding is indicated in the table overleaf:

Sources of funding	Amount £'000
DfES contribution	715
Anticipated capital receipts	1,560
Medecroft School devolved capital	62
"Friends of Medecroft"	110
Total	2,447

2.4 There is a projected funding shortfall of £0.237m. As with similar projects funded substantially from capital receipts, the shortfall is within 10% of the overall project cost and it is recommended that this difference should be met from the capital programme contingency, pending completion of the sale of other sites in Winchester, released through the Winchester/Eastleigh review of special educational provision. As the capital receipt element of funding will not be available until sites are sold, it will necessary to provide £1.56m from the School Balances Loan Fund to allow the project to proceed.

Capital funding for specialist schools

2.5 Nine secondary schools have been successful in applying for specialist school status. These schools receive a one-off capital allocation of £100,000, which may be either grant or credit approval. Work is in hand, in consultation with schools, to design and implement agreed works (and in some instances capital equipment purchases). It is recommended that £0.9m is added to the 2003/04 provision for minor works to meet the cost of these projects.

Recommendations

1. That the following variations to the 2003/04 Education capital programme be approved:

(a) an increase in the estimated cost of the extension of Test Valley School, Stockbridge from £0.596m to £0.696m, to be met from the capital programme contingency;

(b) addition of a major scheme to provide the Lanterns Early Years Centre, Winchester at a cost of £2.684m;

(c) an addition of resources of £0.715m from DfES grant, £1.56m from the School Balances Loan Fund and £0.237m from the capital programme contingency, towards the cost of provision of the Lanterns Early years Centre, Winchester;

(d) an addition of resources totalling £0.90m for specialist school provision;

Section 100D - 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.