Capital programme to be reviewed by New Administration
One of the first changes of the new Highland Council Administration will be to review the capital programmes of two of its biggest spending services, and over the next few months, produce an ambitious 10-year programme.
The need for long-term planning was highlighted at meetings of the Housing and Social Work and Education Culture and Sport Committees this week when members were advised of revised costs and indicative timescales for priority building projects in the current four-year spending programmes.
The introduction of a 10-year plan, says the new Administration, will allow projects to be brought forward in building programmes to ensure there is no repeat of underspending.
Convener Sandy Park said: “A priority for the new Administration is to review our capital programmes to ensure they match our priorities. As ever, demand far outstrips the funds available but we must look further ahead in planning our priorities so that communities can see light at the end of the tunnel for their projects and we have the flexibility to bring forward projects to avoid failing to spend agreed allocations.”
Leader of the Council’s Administration, Michael Foxley added: “We need to have a long hard look over the next few months to produce a five-year detailed plan, with a follow on for later years to take into account the terrible state of many of our school buildings and changing school populations. Our estimates should take account of site acquisition and design costs and energy efficient and sustainable features. We need to maximise our spend to deal with as many problems as possible.”
The Social Work Service has an indicative allocation for capital projects of £30.5 million over the next four financial years. The programme provides £21.5 million as an estimate of the cost to build five new care homes in Fort William, Inverness, Grantown, Tain and Muir of Ord. The refurbishment programme for care homes continues with work at Lochbroom House, Ullapool (starting this month); the Telford Centre, Fort Augustus (autumn 2008); and Dornie Day Centre, in the spring of next year.
The Education Culture and Sport Service has an indicative allocation for capital projects of £112.7 million over the next four financial years, starting with an estimated £27.3 million in 2008/09.
Major primary school projects identified to proceed in this financial year are
Aviemore Primary Replacement (estimated cost of £8.7 million) and Tomnacross Primary Extension - - £1,036,000.
The replacement of primary schools at Maryburgh and Conon Bridge with one new school is recommended to be subject to a detailed option appraisal to be completed within six months.
Major secondary school projects identified to proceed in this financial year are: -
Lochaber High School Refurbishment - £15,130,000;
Mallaig High School Hostel - £3,651,000;
Nairn Academy Special Educational Needs Extension - £690,000;
Thurso High School – Refurbishment of extension block and science labs - £1,332,000.
Looking further ahead, the ECS Committee noted that the revised cost estimate for a new primary school at Lochaline is £2,941,000, with work recommended to begin in 2009/10, with the major spend in the two following financial years.
Future years beyond the lifetime of the programme, include Cromarty Primary School and Golspie High School; and the impact of developments of A 96 corridor developments.
Also to be considered is the consultation on the provision of proposed new dedicated Gaelic primary schools at Fort William and Portree.
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