Agenda item

As detailed in the recommendations.

            The Chief Officer (Housing and Assets) introduced the Development of 2019/20 – 2021/22 Capital Programme report for approval and recommendation to Council later that day.

            The report split the Council Fund Capital Programme into three sections:

1.    Statutory / Regulatory – allocations to cover regulatory and statutory works;

2.    Retained Assets – allocations t fund infrastructure works necessary to ensure service and business continuity; and

3.    Investment – allocations to fund works necessary to remodel services to deliver efficiencies outlined in Portfolio business plans and invest in services as outlined in the Council Plan.

Details were provided on the support planned for the digital delivery of the school curriculum which prepared for changes being introduced in assessing the literacy and numeracy of pupils online, and the need to upgrade the IT infrastructure across schools.  Failure to invest in the scheme could potentially lead to learners not developing the appropriate skills to engage in the digital world.  Developing connectivity in schools would cost £0.276m in 2019/20, with a further £0.130m being included in the 2018/19 programme funded from the headroom budget.  The expenditure would lever in £0.120m from Welsh Government (WG) who had agreed to increase connectivity capacity.  Increasing schools’ wireless capacity would cost £0.250m in 2019/20.

Also outlined was the laptop/PC replacement scheme.  There was a need to replace old laptops that were unable and too old to deliver the required level of service and/or support the latest operating systems and security software.  If they were not replaced there were risks that cyber security could potentially be breached and could threaten the public sector network accreditation, and that service delivery would be impaired due to officers being unable to utilise systems effectively.  Windows 7 would cease to be supported after January 2020.  The amount to be included in the programme was £0.106m.

            In response to a question from Councillor Thomas, the Chief Officer (Housing and Assets) confirmed that reference to the Highways Asset Management Plan (HAMP) funding requirements identified within the report under ‘potential future schemes’ would be retained within the capital programme as part of ongoing future considerations.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the allocations and schemes in Table 4 for the Statutory/Regulatory and Retained Assets sections of the Council Fund Capital Programme 2019/20 – 2021/22 be approved;

(b)       That the schemes included in Table 5 for the Investment section of the Council Fund Capital Programme 2019/20 – 2021/22be approved;

(c)        That it be noted that the shortfall in funding of schemes in 2019/20 and 2020/21 in Table 6 at this point I the approval process is flexible.  Options including a combination of future capital receipts, alternative grants (if available), prudential borrowing or the re-phasing of schemes will be considered during 2019/20, and included in future capital programme reports; and

(d)       That the schemes included in Table 7 for the specifically funded section of the Council Fund Capital Programme which will be funded in part through Prudential Borrowing be approved.