Agenda item

The Council considered a report presented by Mayor Jones which outlined the proposals for the Capital Programme for 2016/17 to 2019/20.

The Mayor reminded Council of the deep government cuts to the revenue budget, which has vastly reduced the money to spend on running public services every year. However, the Mayor outlined that she would not allow those cuts to take Doncaster backwards and had therefore worked hard to create a Capital Programme that enabled the Council to invest in the borough and its future.

Mayor Jones stated that she was delighted to bring forward proposals to invest £316m in Doncaster over the next four years, at the heart of this was job creation and skills development. The proposals would also look to deliver vital housing projects, school buildings improvements, support for the disabled and elderly, highways investment and town centre regeneration schemes.

If Doncaster and its people were to thrive in the coming years, a successful economy was essential and therefore it was reported that it was necessary to create an environment where businesses want to invest and were able to grow. This would create more jobs – particularly highly skilled, well-paid jobs, and in doing so would need to ensure that local people were supported to make the most of these new opportunities.

To help bring this investment and growth, a key new infrastructure would be delivered with major regeneration projects included as part of this including:-

·         The new National College for High Speed Rail;

·         Phase two of the FARRRS project - to unlock nearly 400,000 square metres of commercial development space at Doncaster Sheffield airport; and

·         Numerous Town Centre regeneration projects including further improvements at Doncaster Market, the civic and cultural quarter, and around the railway station.

Council noted that planning was underway to meet people’s on-going needs through different schemes to create:-

·         330 new primary school places

·         140 new council-owned affordable homes; and

·         Between 60 and 80 places at new extra care facilities for the elderly, continuing our current build programme

However, Members noted that the proposed Capital Programme would also deliver real improvements more immediately for people, including.

·         An estimated 1,200 housing adaptations for the elderly and disabled will be completed each year;

·         Improvements in 32 of our schools – with electrical and lighting upgrades, window replacement and heating system improvements helping to create a better learning environment; and

·         Further thermal efficiency work will complete a three–year programme which will result in improvements to 1,660 council properties and will reduce tenants’ energy bills.

However, the Mayor went on to add that the challenging revenue budget meant that the Council’s finances needed to be managed prudently, and therefore it was imperative that the Council must modernise and be innovative, delivering the best overall value for money possible. The Capital budget would help to do this, through ‘invest to save’ projects, with new equipment and technology improving services and reducing annual running costs to minimise the impact of harsh government cuts.

Mayor Ros Jones concluded her proposals by stating that she felt the Capital Proposals for 2016/17 to 2019/20 were an excellent programme, which both planned for the future and delivered more immediate improvements for local people. Mayor Jones therefore recommended the proposals to Council.

Following consideration of the report, Members of Council were afforded the opportunity to speak on the proposals contained within the report.

The Leader of the Conservative Group, Councillor James Hart, welcomed the proposals and offered his support to the Capital Programme, asking for assurance that good quality risk analysis would be carried out and that close monitoring of all schemes would be undertaken.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 21.4, a recorded vote was taken on the recommendations contained within the report, which was declared as follows:-

             For – 48

The Vice Chair of Council, Councillor David Nevett, the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, the Deputy Mayor Councillor Glyn Jones and Councillors Nick Allen, Nigel Ball, Iris Beech, Joe Blackham, Rachel Blake, Elsie Butler, Phil Cole, John Cooke, Tony Corden, Jane Cox, Steve Cox, Jessie Credland, Linda Curran, George Derx, Susan Durant, Neil Gethin, Pat Haith, James Hart, John Healy, Rachel Hodson, Charlie Hogarth, Sandra Holland, Mark Houlbrook, Eva Hughes,  Alan jones, Ken Keegan, Majid Khan, Jane Kidd, Ted Kitchen,  Pat Knight, Sue Knowles, Chris McGuinness, Sue McGuinness, John McHale, Bill Mordue, John Mounsey,  Jane Nightingale, Andy Pickering, Kevin Rodgers, Craig Sahman, Dave Shaw, Alan Smith, Clive Stone, Austen White and Sue Wilkinson.

            Abstain – 1

            Councillor Sean Gibbons.

            Against – 0

On being put to the meeting, the Mayor’s Capital Programme, was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED that Council agreed to approve the Capital Budget proposals for 2016/17 to 2019/20 as set out in the report.