Decision details

Capital Monitoring 2016/17 (Quarter 2)

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: For Determination

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Decisions:

PhilDavies

Councillor Phil Davies, Leader of the Council, said:

 

“The Capital Programme demonstrates the major investment we are making in Wirral: improving schools, housing, roads and public buildings.  We are also making use of new opportunities to utilise capital funding to deliver transformational change to public services, ensuring we can deliver on our 20 Pledges even with vastly reduced financial resources”.

 

Councillor Phil Davies provided the Cabinet with an update on progress towards delivering the Capital Programme 2016/17 as at the end of September 2016.

 

The report recommended the Cabinet to approve the 2016/17 Capital Programme of £38.1 million which had taken into account re-profiling identified during both the 2015/16 final accounts process, latest reviews of the current year and additional grant funding notified to the Council.  The Cabinet noted that the expenditure to date was £10.6 million.

 

Councillor Tony Smith highlighted the new classroom that had been constructed at Elleray Park School to meet capacity needs. This project had included improved external accessibility and play areas. He also drew attention to the two classrooms that had been extended at Mersey Park School to provide additional space and improved IT.  The Cabinet was informed that a resource/group room had been constructed to provide additional space for small group work and break out space.

 

Councillor Smith also highlighted the development at Stanley School that included two additional classrooms with the latest and most up to date learning facilities, providing excellent teaching environments which were comfortable and provide safe spaces.  These classrooms would have assisted lifting and hygiene facilities and the latest IT equipment. He also reported that The Hive, Wirral’s soon to be opened Youth Zone, was progressing according to schedule with the completion date expected mid-February 2017. Councillor Smith informed that Officers had done an excellent job and he thanked them.

 

Councillor S Whittingham informed that expenditure had been incurred on various highway maintenance schemes such as hot road asphalting where 20 schemes were either complete or underway with spend totalling £0.75 million, Micro asphalting  with 7 schemes complete or underway totalling £0.67 million and Surface dressing with 12 schemes complete or underway totalling £0.43 million. He also informed that the scheme to replace the docks bridges, which had attracted significant Government grant funding over the next two years, had commenced.

 

Councillor B Mooney reported that the West Kirby Flood alleviation works also involved grant funding and a re-profiled business case had been submitted to the environment Agency. Approval was awaited so the funding had been re-profiled to 2017/18.

 

Councillor George Davies informed that £0.7 million of grant aid had been provided for the provision of essential aids and adaptations giving disabled people better freedom of movement in and around their homes. He also informed that the home improvement scheme had provided £0.3 million of financial assistance and intervention to remedy poor housing conditions in the private sector.

 

RESOLVED: That the Cabinet

 

(1)  notes the spend to date at Month 6 of £10.6 million, with 50% of the financial year having elapsed; and

 

(2)  agrees and refers to Council the revised Capital Programme of £38.1 million (as shown in Table 1 of the report) which also includes a number of recommended virements as outlined in paragraph 3.5 of the report.

Publication date: 15/12/2016

Date of decision: 08/12/2016

Decided at meeting: 08/12/2016 - Cabinet

Effective from: 23/12/2016

Accompanying Documents: