Meeting documents
Cabinet
Wednesday, 2nd October, 2002
|
Bath & North East Somerset Council |
|||
|
|
Council Executive |
AGENDA |
|
|
MEETING DATE: |
2nd October 2002 |
||
|
TITLE: |
LEA Asset Management Plan: Local Policy Statement and Statement of Priorities |
||
|
WARD: |
ALL |
||
|
AN OPEN PUBLIC ITEM |
|||
|
List of attachments to this report: Appendix -Summary LEA Asset Management Plan: Local Policy Statement and Statement of Priorities- Hard copies are not attached but the full documents can be accessed via the following link www.bathnes.gov.uk/Schoolscapitalorganisation/AssetManagementPlan2002/default.htm |
|||
MEETING:1. THE ISSUE
1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek the Executive's agreement to the Local Policy Statement (LPS) and Statement of Priorities (SP) for submission to the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).
1.2 The deadline for submission of the documents to the DfES was of 31 July 2002. This did not allow sufficient time for the documents to be drafted, submitted to the Asset Management Forum, the Overview and Scrutiny Panel, the Executive and full Council. The Executive Member decided on the 26th June 2002 that a draft version should be sent to the DfES and that consultation should be undertaken and the approval of the Executive and Council sought during the autumn term.
2. RECOMMENDATION
The Executive is recommended to;
1. Suggest any amendments it may wish to make to the Local Policy Statement and Statement of Priorities
2. refer the documents to the Council for approval and final submission to the DfES.
3. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
3.1 There are no financial implications arising directly from this report although a successful appraisal of the documents by the DfES is directly linked to capital funding allocations.
4. THE REPORT
4.1 Guidance from the DfES on the appraisal framework was received in early May leaving LEAs less than two months to prepare the documentation and meet the deadline for submission of 31 July.
4.2 The DfES has made a major change to the appraisal arrangements for the Asset Management Plan and this has meant more work than anticipated. The Statement of Priorities (SP) will now be the key document setting out strategic priorities for capital investment in schools. The Local Policy Statement (LPS) explains how the processes underpinning the SP such as consultation, assessment of buildings and prioritisation etc, work in practice. The LPS was deemed to be satisfactory last year and only needs to be updated with a few areas expanded upon.
4.3 The Statement of Priorities however required major development as the DfES is placing greater focus on this document. The SP must show how the capital investment strategy for 2002 -2006 will deliver specific projects with explicit links to LEA plans such as the Education Development Plan, School Organisation Plan and also other Council strategic objectives. There is also a greater emphasis on outputs and improvement targets and how capital investment priorities will help raise educational standards.
4.4 LEAs appraised as having a satisfactory AMP will be assured of capital allocations for future years. Those deemed as unsatisfactory will have reduced spending autonomy and be required to submit project details before funding is released. This will also affect discretionary additional capital allocations through the Single Capital Pot.
4.5 To assist members, the attached Appendix highlights some sections of both documents, which may be of particular interest.
5 OTHER POSSIBLE OPTIONS
5.1 The Executive can request amendments to the documents prior to submission to the DfES.
6 CONSULTATION
6.1 The Asset Management Forum was consulted in July on a very early draft and will have an opportunity to comment on the latest version prior to the Council meeting. The full documents have been placed on the Council Information Service under Useful Documents and schools' attention has been drawn to the most useful/relevant sections for them to consider.
6.2 The documents were submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel on 19th September. The Panel welcomed the documents as evidence of the continued development of the LEA's asset management processes. The Panel expressed frustration however, that the timescale for the submission of the documents was insufficient to allow it to make a constructive contribution to their preparation. Officers were accordingly instructed to write to the DfES requesting that in future the timescales for key plans take into account the need for proper consultation and the modernised democratic processes.
|
Contact person |
Chris Kavanagh Tel: 01225 394212 or E-mail: chris_kavanagh@bathnes.gov.uk |
|
Background papers |
DfES: Asset Management Plans Appraisal Guidance for 2003/04 (30.4.02) |
Local Policy Statement
The LPS explains how the processes underpinning the Statement of Priorities(such as consultation, assessment of buildings and prioritistion etc) work in practice. Last year the LPS was deemed to be satisfactory(scored 3 on a scale of 0-4) so only needed to be updated and a few areas expanded upon.
Section 2 - Shows DfES appraisal comments on those sections of the LPS last year where further development was needed and our response.
Section 4 - Provides information on issues and options emerging from the Access Best Value Review concerning Asset Management. See also Appendix 3 - 6 for responses from consultation with stakeholders including parents.
Appendix 2 - A copy of a possible model for a school asset management plan previously issued to schools and also available on the CIS under Useful Documents.
Appendix 8 -Outlines the Suitability Assessment Methodology used by our consultants for the reassessment of all schools and which has been successfully used for the pilot schools and approved by the DfES. Remaining schools will be assessed this term.
Statement of Priorities 2002-06
This will now be seen as the key document setting out strategic priorities for capital investment in schools. It should show how the capital investment strategy will deliver specific projects with explicit links to LEA plans such as the Education Development Plan and School Organisation Plan, as well as other Council strategic objectives and Government priorities. The DfES is also placing a greater emphasis on outputs and improvement targets and how capital investment will help in raising educational standards.
Section 7 - Sets out current priorities and links to other plans and strategies. Paras 7.8 - 7.15 on links to the EDP may be of interest.
Para 8.8 - Proposes the development of a ranking system based on suitability assessments
Para 9.2 - Proposes establishing clearer expectations of governors on use of devolved capital
Appendix A - Sets out improvements targets a number of which are aspirational and will depend on funding and/or political decision
Appendix C - Shows all current and projected capital funding. Some are assumptions based on current levels of capital continuing. Major VA capital schemes are not included.
Appendix D - Major projects in the current capital programme
Project details -The DfES requested details of major projects scheduled to start on site in 2003-04. This timescale is subject to all other necessary approvals being received for these projects.