Agenda item

The Council considered a report which was presented by the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, which set out the Capital Programme for 2017/18 to 2020/21.  The Mayor stated that she was pleased to be able to present the Capital Programme and growing the economy, improving education, and creating new jobs was a vital part of the future of Doncaster.  These goals would form the cornerstone of the Capital budget, which would see £332 million of Capital investment over the next four years.  Members noted that in 2017/18, around £119 million would be spent on stimulating further growth and prosperity, and the Council would deliver projects that would help to bring highly skilled, well paid jobs to the Borough.  The Mayor pointed out that the growth stimulated, would be inclusive growth, providing opportunities that local people could benefit from.

It was reported that the new National College for High Speed Rail would be opening in September 2017; a national institution that would provide cutting edge engineering training at Lakeside.  This would bring university level skills training to Doncaster and would support the already thriving railway industry in the area.

The Mayor informed the Chamber that £6.6 million would be invested in Phase 2 of the Great Yorkshire Way Airport Link Road 2017/18, on which development would start this year.  Phase 1 had already brought record passenger numbers to the airport and had helped to deliver hundreds of new jobs at the iPort, with more still to come despite being open for less than a year.  In addition, Great Yorkshire Way was enabling new homes at Rossington and had helped to alleviate the notorious ‘Cantley Crawl’, with congestion along Bawtry Road significantly reduced.

It was reported that the new Urban Centre Masterplan would help to transform the centre of Doncaster and the Council would be investing more than £30 million with the support of the Sheffield City Region.  This would enable Doncaster to have a strong centre that would support retail and professional services, entrepreneurial businesses and new Town Centre housing. Therefore, the delivery of the Masterplan would ensure that Doncaster’s centre functioned more as a ‘City Centre’ which would look to ensure greater sustainability.  The Masterplan would look to deliver jobs that were accessible to people across the Borough, as well as providing vibrant retail and leisure facilities for both residents and visitors alike.  Members noted that development was already starting on the Railway Station forecourt area, which would provide a welcoming gateway to the Town.

Additionally, the Mayor informed Members that further investment would be made into Doncaster’s market in 2017/18, in order to build on the long-term success of this valuable asset.

The Mayor reported that the Capital Programme was also being used in innovative ways.  This was demonstrated with the Herten Triangle Leisure scheme, which was a Council led development that would create up to 200 new jobs, as well as delivering £300,000 of income that would then be spent on public services.  Additionally, the successful Smartlight Project would be rolled out further, with the modernisation of street lights enabling the Council to both save money and reduce its carbon footprint.  These projects would not just bring new jobs, leisure facilities and improved services, but would deliver vital income and savings that would help to minimise the impact of the cuts from Central Government to the Revenue Budget.

Members noted that the Capital budget would bring the delivery of more Council Houses, with 79 new Council owned affordable units either completed or acquired in 2017/18.  Additionally, over the next four years, more Council houses would be developed with new units in Askern, Armthorpe, Hatfield, Carcroft, Rossington, Bentley, Wheatley, Intake, Thorne and Moorends. Furthermore, £18 million would be spent on improving and maintaining the existing Council housing stock, and due to an anticipated funding package of £18.7 million, 1200 housing adaptations for the disabled were estimated per year.

The Council was also investing in projects to further improve the Borough’s Schools, with 360 new Primary School places estimated to be created in 2017/18, whilst numerous Schools would have improvement works completed.  Leisure and Culture facilities would also be improved, with Members informed that an estimated £1.4 million was to be spent over the next two years on the Borough’s public leisure centres, delivered by the Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust.

The Mayor concluded by stating the Capital Programme was a programme to help build on Doncaster’s future, a bright future that invested in projects to improve Schools, housing, leisure and culture as well as providing valuable support for vulnerable people.

Following the Mayor’s presentation of the Capital Programme proposals, Members were afforded the opportunity to comment on the report.

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 Chair of Council, Councillor David Nevett, the Vice-Chair of Council Councillor George Derx, the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Glyn Jones and Councillors Nick Allen, Nigel Ball,

Iris Beech, Joe Blackham, Rachael Blake, Elsie Butler, Bev Chapman,

Phil Cole, John Cooke, Jane Cox, Steve Cox, Jessie Credland, Susan Durant, Nuala Fennelly, Neil Gethin, Pat Haith, John Healy, Rachel Hodson,

Charlie Hogarth, Sandra Holland, Mark Houlbrook, R. Allan Jones,

Ken Keegan, Majid Khan, Jane Kidd, Ted Kitchen, Pat Knight,

Chris McGuinness, Sue McGuinness, John McHale, Bill Mordue,

John Mounsey, Jane Nightingale, Andy Pickering, Andrea Robinson,

Kevin Rodgers, Craig Sahman, Alan Smith, Clive Stone, Austen White,

Sue Wilkinson, Jonathan Wood and Paul Wray.

Against – 0

Abstain – 0

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

RESOLVED that the Capital Budget proposals for 2017/18 to 2020/21, as detailed within the report, be approved, including:-

(1)     the capital programme, noting the proposed investment over the next four years and what that will deliver; and

(2)       Cabinet take responsibility for agreeing any significant changes to the Schools Condition Programme and the Local Transport Plan funding, and that they be agreed in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder.