The Cabinet Member with the Children and Young People Portfolio introduced the report of the Director of Children and Adults Services (previously circulated) requesting that consideration be given to the proposed Education and Inclusion Service Capital Investment Programme for 2019/20 (also previously circulated) and to the release of the capital funds to support that programme.

The submitted report stated that the Council had been allocated a School Condition Allocation grant of £141,894, for the 2019/20 financial year, to address capital maintenance needs across the borough’s maintained schools; there was an underspend of £97,000 from the previous year which would be rolled forward to 2019/20; the Council had been allocated Devolved Formula Capital (DFC) of £50,367 for 2019/20; and the Darlington maintained schools had been allocated a total top up to their 2018/19 DFC allocations of £84,171.

Particular reference was made to the Healthy Pupils Capital Fund, a one-off grant of £13,581 to this Council, generated from the Government’s soft drink industry levy.  It was proposed that this grant, along with an underspend of £25,419 from the Funded Places for Two Year Olds programme completed in 2014, would be used to support a project at Borough Road Nursery to improve independence and promote self-care and hygiene.

RESOLVED – (a) That the School Condition Allocation of £141,894, be released, and the proposed prioritised capital investment programme for maintained schools, as appended to the submitted report, be agreed, and delegated authority be given to the Director of Children and Adult Services, to manage the authorisation of this funding.

(b) That the Healthy Pupil Capital Fund grant of £13,581, as detailed in the submitted report, be released, to support a suitability project at Borough Road Nursery. 

REASON – (a) Release of the funds will enable capital investment to be undertaken in the areas identified with the greatest need, in terms of asset management priorities; and

(b) Detailed planning to identify priorities have been undertaken which ensures effective use of all investment.