Purpose

Cabinet to approve the Schools Capital Programme, give approval to spend the ring fenced capital budget, agree to proceed to delivery and delegate authority for the award contracts for works, services and goods.

Decision

DECISION: The Cabinet agreed to:

1. Approve the spending of £15.9m from the schools’ 2026/27 capital budget as detailed in restricted Appendix A.

1. Approve the commitment to the spending of £36.2m from the schools 2027/28 to 2029/30 capital budget as detailed in restricted Appendix A.

1. Approve the strategic objectives as set out in this report.

1. Approve the commencement of the delivery of projects detailed in restricted appendix ‘A’ to allow tenders to be pursued in compliance with the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules

1. Approve contingency budgets of £0.55m in 2026/27 and £0.60m in 2027/28 for urgent works and / or new schemes not yet identified as priority works.

1. Approvethat capital receipts generated by the sale of vacant education properties to be reinvested into the Schools Capital Programme (subject to Secretary of State approval) to support the delivery of SEN provision as a strategic priority.

1. Delegate authority to Executive Director of People to:
   1. Approve the award of works and services contracts up to the value of £5m including professional and technical expenses as detailed in Restricted Appendix ‘A’ and those projects added to the programme as below.
   2. Add and omit projects to the programme from the approved contingency budget subject to the total spend being contained within the approved £15.9m or in the case of additional funding being approved as IX below, to add additional projects to the revised value of the programme and update the Restricted Appendix ‘A’.

1. Delegate authority to the Lead Member for Children’s Services to

1. 1. Approve the award of works and services contracts over the value of £5m including professional and technical expenses as detailed in Restricted Appendix ‘A’.
2. Delegate authority to the Executive Director of People in consultation with the Executive Director Resources to accept any additional in year funding that is secured, to add this to the Schools Capital Programme and increase the total approved budget accordingly.

1. Note and authorise applications to the Department for Education (DfE) for Secretary of State consent in respect of any disposal or repurposing of the vacant education buildings and land including caretakers/site managers properties.

1. Note Cabinet’s previous approval (KD 5373) of the approach in relation to the disposal or repurposing of the vacant caretaker properties, allocating income generated to support the delivery of SEN provision as a strategic priority as well as undertaking works at each individual school.

1. Note that the schools capital programme is funded from DfE capital grant, ringfenced capital receipts and other grants as detailed in the report.