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A decision made (17.3.08) to approve budget transfers for the Highlands Refurbishment Project.

Decision Reference: MD-ESC-2008-0007
Decision Summary Title :	Highlands Refurbishment Project: Budget Rationalisation		Date of Decision Summary:	10/03/08
Decision Summary Author:	J.M.E. Harris, Assistant Director, Policy and Planning		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	n/a
Written Report Title :	Highlands Refurbishment Project: Budget Rationalisation		Date of Written Report:	10/03/08
Written Report Author:	J.M.E. Harris		Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Subject: Budget transfers in order to fund a budget shortfall in the Highlands Refurbishment project.
Decision(s): The Minster supported the proposed budget transfers as set out in the attached report, and agreed that the Treasury and Resources Minister should be notified of this decision.
Reason(s) for Decision: The proposed budget transfers are required to ensure that the Highlands refurbishment project can be fully funded by utilising savings achieved on other building projects relating to Education, Sport and Culture.
Resource Implications: As set out in attached report.
Action required: ESC Department to notify the Property Holdings Department of the Minister’s decision.
Signature:		Position: Minister for Education, Sport and Culture
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Highlands Refurbishment Project - budget rationalisation

1. Purpose of Report

The Minister is asked to support budget transfers in order to provide funding towards the estimated under-provision in the Highlands ‘A’ block refurbishment project.

2. Discussion

2.1. The refurbishment of Highlands ‘A’ Block (the Turner building) is due to commence in July 2008 and will run for a period of 14 months, with completion planned for August/September 2009. The budget of £5,761,000 for this project has been approved as part of the States Capital Programme.

2.2. A shortfall of £815,000 in the project budget has recently been identified, and this is due to a number of factors –

· The need for additional funding for decant accommodation. A budget of £362,000 was identified in 2005 for this purpose, but the most recent cost estimates indicate that a further sum is required.

· There has been some building deterioration since the original survey was conducted in 1999.

· There are additional requirements resulting from new building control regulations.

2.3 The Property Holdings Department has carried out a review of unspent balances in capital projects relating to Education, Sport and Culture, and Table 1 below details the proposed budget transfers that would meet this shortfall –

Table 1

2.4 It will be recalled that the majority of property-related capital works under the administration of the Education, Sport and Culture Departments were transferred to Property Holdings with effect from 1 October 2006. The budgets for the Le Rocquier and Hautlieu developments were retained by ESC, as these projects are still ongoing.

2.5 The support of the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture is now being sought to the proposed transfer of £225,000 from the Hautlieu budget and £250,000 from the Le Rocquier budget in order to help meet the shortfall in funding for the Highlands project. The Property Holdings Department has carried out a review of the remaining commitments in both the Hautlieu and Le Rocquier project budgets and has confirmed that these two sums will not be required. The budgets for d’Auvergne and St. Clement Primary Schools lie outside the direct control of Education, Sport and Culture, but Property Holdings has confirmed that funding is also available from these two sources to help meet the shortfall.

3. Recommendation

3.1 The decision to approve the proposed budget transfers rests with the Treasury and Resources Minister, but the support of the Education, Sport and Culture Minister is being sought for the transfer of sums from those two budgets which have been retained by ESC, namely Hautlieu and Le Rocquier.

3.2 It is recommended that the ESC Minister should support the proposed transfers, as this will enable the full completion of the Highlands refurbishment project.

Jeremy Harris,

Assistant Director, Policy and Planning

10th March 2008