Caerphilly County Borough Council has unveiled plans to spend £43m over the next three years on a variety of building programmes.
Among the projects are the refurbishment of school kitchens costing £600,000 and almost £2m spent on roads. In the next financial year, starting in April, spending is set to be £23m with £9.7m coming from Welsh Assembly Government funding.
The proposed capital spend in 2012-13 will be £10.3m and £9.8m in 2013-14. The funding is being made available despite a 40% cut in Welsh Assembly Government financial support for local authority capital programmes.
The Plaid-led administration is funding the £13.3m shortfall in 2011-12 through a range of measures, including moving £3.2m originally earmarked for revenue spending into capital spending.
In addition, £10m will be pumped into the capital programme, mainly as a result of the sale of land and assets and underspending on the revenue budget. A total of £1m is also available as a result of the authority collecting more council tax than it originally forecast.
Councillor Colin Mann, deputy leader and cabinet member for corporate finance, said: “We believe it is vital in difficult financial times that the capital programme is kept going because it helps the local economy, supporting local firms and local workers.
“For instance, the funding made available for disabled facility grants and grants to improve privately-owned homes are normally spent in the local community with local firms.
“A total of £10 million has been included as match funding for the proposed 21st Century Schools programme being promoted through the Welsh Assembly Government.
“Plaid is able to transfer funding from revenue to capital because of the success we and officers have had in ensuring spending in departments come in on budget or under budget wherever possible.
“Normally, I would say it is important to spend the budget allocated but we are living in very unusual times. We are continuing to provide good services but we are also ensuring they are delivered as efficiently as possible.”
Some of the draft capital spending planned by the Plaid-led council in 2011-12:
- £10m for 21st Century schools which, it is hoped, will be boosted by a successful bid to the Welsh Assembly Government
- Refurbishment of school kitchens (£600,000)
- School boiler replacement programme (£300,000)
- School security including CCTV, fencing, alarms (£100,000)
- Disabled facilities grant (£1.25m)
- Home improvement grants (£350,000)
- Private Sector Housing (£2.9m) including mandatory disabled facilities grant (£1.25m)
- Urban renewal match funding schemes including Blackwood, Bargoed, and Newbridge (£280,000)
- Social Services facilities (£750,000)
- Highways (£1.95m) including landslip remediation works to Fothergills Road, Phillipstown (£900,000)
- Health and safety works in schools, including resurfacing and toilet upgrades (£375,000)
- Works at Newbridge Library (£170,000)
- Bridge strengthening and refurbishment works (£340,000)
- Support for renewal areas activities (£400,000, private sector housing)
- Minor works grant for vulnerable people (£800,000)