Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/100

Contact: Hannah Doney, Strategic Finance Manager (Assurance & Reporting) Tel: 07584 174654

Report by Director of Finance (CA8).

The report is the third capital programme update and monitoring report for the 2019/20 financial year and focuses on the delivery of the capital programme based on projections at the end of October 2019 and new inclusions within the overall ten-year capital programme.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED:

(a)       to approve the updated Capital Programme at Annex 2 and the associated changes to the programme in Annex 1c;

(b)       In relation to the Housing & Growth Deal agree:

1.   the release of the Benson Relief Road scheme with a budget of £12.0m;

2.  the release of the Milton Heights Bridge scheme with a budget of £2.0m;

(c)       In relation to Schools agree:

1.  the inclusion of the New Faringdon Primary School project in the Capital Programme with a budget of £10.9m;

2.  the inclusion of the New Primary School project in Wallingford in the Capital programme with a budget of £8.7m;

3.  the inclusion of the expansion project at Thame, Lord Williams’s School in the capital programme with a budget of £4.5m;

4.  the release of the expansion project at Chalgrove Primary School in the Basic Need programme with a budget of £2.0m;

5.  the release of the expansion project at John Watson Special School (Secondary) in the Basic Need programme with a budget of £3.0m;

(d)       agree the release of the Legacy Programme with a budget of £15.0m, and report the governance of these projects at a programme level.

Recommendation agreed.

Cabinet had before them the third capital programme update and monitoring report for the 2019/20 financial year that focused on the delivery of the capital programme based on projections at the end of October 2019 and new inclusions within the overall ten-year capital programme.

Councillor Glynis Phillips, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance referred to the increased costs for the school expansion projects and sought assurance that the quotes were accurate and querying the level of confidence in the current quotes. Councillor Phillips also queried how confident the Cabinet Member was in the costs for the Legacy Programme.

Councillor David Bartholomew, Cabinet Member for Finance referring to the school expansion projects indicated that clearly when estimating their was always a risk involved. However, the risk had been minimised. On the Legacy Programme latest discussions indicated that the sum concerned was a generous amount and that everything should be accommodated within that figure.

Councillor Bartholomew introduced the contents of the report and moved the recommendations.

During discussion Cabinet supported the recommendation. In particular Cabinet welcomed the Milton Heights Bridge scheme that would improve facilities for cyclist and pedetrians across the County.

RESOLVED:

(a)       to approve the updated Capital Programme at Annex 2 and the associated changes to the programme in Annex 1c;

(b)       In relation to the Housing & Growth Deal to agree:

1.   the release of the Benson Relief Road scheme with a budget of £12.0m;

2.  the release of the Milton Heights Bridge scheme with a budget of £2.0m;

(c)       In relation to Schools to agree:

1.  the inclusion of the New Faringdon Primary School project in the Capital Programme with a budget of £10.9m;

2.  the inclusion of the New Primary School project in Wallingford in the Capital programme with a budget of £8.7m;

3.  the inclusion of the expansion project at Thame, Lord Williams’s School in the capital programme with a budget of £4.5m;

4.  the release of the expansion project at Chalgrove Primary School in the Basic Need programme with a budget of £2.0m;

5.  the release of the expansion project at John Watson Special School (Secondary) in the Basic Need programme with a budget of £3.0m;

(d)       agree the release of the Legacy Programme with a budget of £15.0m, and report the governance of these projects at a programme level.