Issue - meetings

This report summarises the proposed 2025/26 capital programme and a provisional programme for 2026/27 to 2029/30. The Committee’s approval is sought for the programme to be submitted to Council in February 2025.

The Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          Submit the capital programme for 2025/26 as identified in section 3 of the report to the Council for approval on 11 February 2025;

(2)          Note the provisional forecast of schemes for the capital programme for 2026/27 to 2029/30;

(3)          Note that schemes subject to external funding from Disabled Facilities Grants will only proceed once funding has been received.

The Committee received a report summarising the proposed 2025/26 capital programme and a provisional programme for 2026/27 to 2029/30. The Committee’s approval was sought for the programme to be submitted to Council in February 2025.

The Committee considered the following matters:

a)            Update to the Disabled Facilities Grant Figure at Section 3 of the Report. The Senior Accountant explained to the Committee that since the publication of the agenda there had been an update to the Disabled Facilities Grant figure, listed at section 3 of the report, on account of the recent announcement of additional funding. Section 3, as written in the report, put the figure at £785,000 – however, the figure had since been updated to £974,000. The Senior Accountant asked the Committee to note that, should the Committee agree to recommendation 1 of the report, the capital programme for 2025/26 submitted to Council for approval on 11 February 2025 would include the updated Disabled Facilities Grant figure of £974,000. The update was noted by the Committee.

b)            Carry-Over and Spend of Disabled Facilities Grant Funding. In response to a question from a Member, the Strategic Housing Manager explained that, historically, unspent funding from the disabled facilities grant had been carried over to subsequent years. He went to explain, however, that in October 2023 the Committee had agreed provisions to facilitate increased flexibility in the utilisation of the funding, and it was anticipated that the full funding for 25/26 would be spent.

c)            Utilisation of Disabled Facilities Grant Funding. In response to questions from Members, the Head of Housing and Community explained that the Disabled Facilities Grant is statutory funding, and is ringfenced with the intention of being utilised to provide those who qualify with the means to remain living in their homes and to reduce their fuel costs through physical adaptations and repairs to their home, such as stairlifts and boiler repairs, etc.

d)            Playhouse Lighting. In response to a question from a Member, the Assistant Head of Service (Venues) explained that the Playhouse lighting required updating to more economical and environmentally friendly LED lighting to replace the original mercury and halogen-based lighting put in place when the Playhouse was built, with the intention to complete the works in c. August 2025.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          Submit the capital programme for 2025/26 as identified in section 3 of the report, updated as minuted above, to the Council for approval on 11 February 2025;

(2)          Note the provisional forecast of schemes for the capital programme for 2026/27 to 2029/30;

(3)          Note that schemes subject to external funding from Disabled Facilities Grants will only proceed once funding has been received.