School condition allocations
Please note that only the following establishments could bid for this funding stream, due to the Local Authority being the responsible body for their capital maintenance.
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Community Schools
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Voluntary Controlled Schools
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Foundation and Trust School
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Pupil Referral Units (LA maintained)
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Children's Centres
Academies and Voluntary Aided schools are not eligible to bid.
Academies are able to access similar funding through the Education Funding Agency and Voluntary Aided schools will now move to the same capital funding system used by other types of schools: School Condition Allocations (SCA) and the Condition Improvements Fund (CIF).
Once all bids have been received from eligible establishments, a vetting process will take place by assessing all submissions against the categories of allocation.
The bidding categories are:
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Poor building condition
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Health and Safety
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Building compliance
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Energy efficiency
Your bid could overlap more than one category.
There is a maximum contribution from the Authority to an individual bid as indicated in the Project Finance section below.
Settings may only place one bid in total.
How to Apply
Application for the 2020/21 Capital bidding round is now closed
Project Finance
The maximum Local Authority contribution for any single bid was £100,000 (all categories).
In order for a bid to be considered as capital expenditure, the total project cost must be in excess of £10,000, in accordance with Cheshire East Council's Constitution.
School Contributions
As available funds are limited, we request that submissions are fair and flexible and that establishments should be considerate that the level of school contribution to the scheme reflects school balance figures. The intention in doing this is the ensure that the limited funds the authority holds will go further and improve facilities for more children.
We are aware that non-schools properties submitting a bid will not hold devolved capital funding and this will also be taken into account.
Contacts and Guidance on Application Form
If you are considering submitting a bid and would like further advice, please do not hesitate to contact our team on:
Email: phil.yeomans@cheshireeast.gov.uk
Office: (01270) 685671
Mobile: 07824 561392
Email: simon.hodgkiss@cheshireeast.gov.uk
Office: (01270) 686512
Mobile: 07971 063642
Asset Management
The Property Projects Team in the Estates Service within Cheshire East Council can provide professional advice, access to services to support the design, development and project management of the delivery and implementation of your project. The team can support you in the overall process from inception to completion, including procuring, commissioning and managing all consultants and contractors, and ensure satisfactory compliance with Cheshire East Council’s Constitution.
Please contact Debra Wrench (01270) 686110 if you would like further advice and to discuss the fees relating to this service.
If you are intending to self-manage the project and procure Consultants and Contractors directly, please note that formal Landlord Consent is required from Cheshire East Council (contact the Property Helpdesk in the first instance:
Telephone: (01270) 686888 or Email: property@cheshireeast.gov.uk and Cheshire East Council’s Constitution must be followed with any contracts appropriately endorsed by the Council’s Legal Services.
The School Managed Guidance Document is a useful reference and will assist you when considering all of the key elements that are will required when undertaking construction projects on operational premises. It also provides guidance on the Client’s duties under the CDM Regulations 2015.
Please find attached last years School Managed Guidance Document (PDF,1.03MB) for reference only, which is in the process of being updated for constitutional changes.
The Council may also, depending on the scale, complexity and value of the project, introduce an additional formal monitoring service to ensure due diligence is maintained and that Grant monies allocated are spent in accordance with the approved purposes.
The following is guidance on completing Section 2 of the application form.
School Managed Schemes
If a school is managing a capital scheme itself, it is their responsibility to ensure that written landlord approval has been sought and granted.
Professional Fees
If you do not yet have a specific fee agreement with a consultant, a general allowance of 15% of the cost of the works should be included to cover this element.
Statutory Fees
Your project may need planning permission and/or building regulation approval. A general allowance of 3% of the cost of the works should be included to cover this element.
Loose Furniture & Equipment/ICT
You may need to purchase some furniture and equipment or ICT equipment such as an interactive white board or you may need the white board re-positioning as part of your project. The combined cost of these two elements should not cost more than 10% of your project value.
Contingency
You may need to make an allowance for unknowns such as removal of asbestos or unforeseen ground condition issues.
Spending Deadline
Due to the impact of COVID-19, for the 2020/21 successful bids, establishments will also be able to request for their funding allocation to be carried forward to the 2021/22 financial year, which will provide additional time to carry out the works during key holiday periods.