Council boosts region with capital investment strategy
The Council’s Policy and Resources Committee (18 March 2014) gave its unanimous backing to the Administration’s proposals, which will see significant investment in a range of capital projects over future years.
The proposals re-affirm previous commitments to deliver next generation Broadband and the Dalbeattie Learning Campus.
The Committee also agreed indicative funding for the Dumfries Learning Town project, paving the way for a £11 million Learning Hub; a new £21 million northwest Dumfries School cluster, which will include a new build Maxwelltown High school and associated primary schools on the same site; and a £15.5 million refurbishment of St Joseph’s college; all with a target of being completed during the financial year 2017/18.
Work will also be carried out to develop detailed plans for the more complex northeast cluster, which will include a new build Dumfries High School and the refurbishment of Dumfries Academy. Major investment will also continue in other schools in the region such as Langholm primary school, Dunscore primary school, Kirkcudbright Academy, Annan Academy, and Sanquhar Academy.
Proposals were also agreed to invest over £1 million in the Kirkcudbright Charter project and to set aside £2.5 million towards the proposed £12 million Whitesands Flood protection scheme, which is currently the subject of a funding bid to the Scottish Government for the remaining funds. Councilors also agreed that detailed proposals be drawn up for a Newton Stewart flood prevention scheme for future years.
Additional investment was agreed for the region’s infrastructure, including major investment in local road improvements. More than £13 million has been agreed from the Council’s 2014/2015 capital budget to cover a range of projects, including road resurfacing, core paths, and providing vehicles for the new kerbside waste collection service due to be introduced this year. The additional capital is over £3.5 million more than the budget agreed in October 2012, which emphasises the importance of improving the region’s roads. This is in addition to approximately £6m a year on road repairs from the council’s revenue budget.
It was also agreed to support a range of land based projects over the next year, including a new 3G pitch in Lockerbie and increased investment in play parks and playing fields.
More than £2.2 million of funding for Economic Development projects for the year ahead was also agreed, including £1.5 million for regeneration in Stranraer.
The Policy and Resources Committee:
• Noted the estimates of funding available to support capital investment, as reflected at appendix 1, and that the estimates in relation to the period beyond 2015/2016 will be subject to further review/change;
• Noted the funding amounts available for allocation, over and above the indicative funding allocations previously agreed by the this committee, as reflected at para 5.2 and appendix 2;
• Noted the funding bids for both Corporate Priority Projects and Asset Classes, which are outlined in the funding bid documents attached at appendix 3; and
• Agreed funding allocations for financial year 2014/15 with provisional applications for the subsequent 2 years recognising that, beyond 2014/15, capital investment proposals will be determined alongside revenue budget proposals as part of the determination of the Council’s overall Financial Strategy.
For full report see: http://egenda.dumgal.gov.uk/aksdumgal/images/att32522.pdf
