£75m struck from SLC capital spend

Almost £75m has been struck from South Lanarkshire Council’s capital programmes as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

A number of projects have already been delayed following the UK-wide lockdown brought in in March which saw construction sites across the country come to a standstill.

Councillors agreed on a “deliverable”programme of works for the remainder of 2020-21 which will see spending of £129m on general capital projects as well as the housing capital programme.

Paul Manning, executive director for finance, told the council’s executive committee last month, that any money originally approved to be spent this year would be carried forward to ensure a number of projects still go ahead.

Mr Manning said:“There will be a reduction in the general programme. This means a significant amount of money leaving the 2020-21 programme.

“That may have a knock-on effect on delivering the 2021-22 programme.”

In total, South Lanarkshire’s capital spend this year will fall by £74.8m from the budget agreed in February after £7.891m in additional costs as a result of protracted time scales, social distancing and overheads are accounted for.

Funding of £120,000 for allotments, £475,000 for Hamilton Mausoleum, £819,000 for Clyde Gateway and £645,000 for roads depot improvements will all be put back until next year as a result.

Spending on new nurseries to help reach the Scottish Government’s targets to increase free childcare provision for preschool children to 1,140hrs has been scaled back by £7.7m while spending on projects related to the Glasgow City Region Deal will be scaled back by £9.1m.

All of the money that would have been spent this year but can’t as a result of the coronavirus pandemic will be carried forward into next year’s budget.

Councillor Robert Brown queried the decision to scale back spending to meet the 1140 hours target given the Scottish Government have already had to put it back a year to August 2021 as a result of the pandemic.

Executive director for education Tony McDaid said that currently “83 per cent of children are getting 1140 hours”.

After the new Woodhall Nursery opened a couple of weeks ago, he added three further nurseries would be opening before Christmas and that“around 90 per cent”of children would receive the 1140hrs of childcare by April.

Mr McDaid said:“I’m confident that we can get all of it through by the end of this school year.”