Finance Policy and Process

2008-11 Capital Funding Allocations for Early Years and Childcare

Capital funding for this period consists of three elements. Click on the links below for information on allocations.

Sure Start Children's Centre Capital Grant

This grant is to meet the national target of 3,500 centres by 2010. The funding also includes a capital maintenance element. This should be used to upgrade, repair or maintain older facilities through capital expenditure, to ensure that they remain fit for purpose for delivering services.

Early Years Capital Grant

This grant is to improve the quality and accessibility of early years settings and to deliver the extension of the free offer for 3- and 4-year-olds.

Capital Funding Allocations for Extended Schools

From April 2008, Extended Schools funding will be part of the Schools Capital funding.

Capital Slippage Information

The Department understands that a number of local authorities (LAs) may not be able to complete some projects by March 2008 that are being developed as part of school rebuild/significant refurbishment or as part of a large-scale community development. The Department has agreed that in exceptional circumstances, LAs that meet the criteria below will be able to be put forward centres for consideration to the Together for Children Consortium. It expects that LAs will bring forward phase 3 centres, which involve little or no capital build, so that they can still meet their local target by March 2008. For centres to be completed after September 2008, this will be a condition of agreement. Approval for a limited number of centres will be given by TfC on a case-by-case basis, using the criteria below. They will report to the DCSF on a fortnightly basis. A key consideration for agreement will be whether the LA has the capacity and processes in place to meet the new timetable and deliver their other centres by March 2008.

For any queries on capital projects and slippage, please contact your local Together for Children programme lead.

Criteria for capital projects completing post March 2008

Criteria for all extended projects

In order to qualify for consideration of 'extended' capital approval, the authority must:

• be up to date with all GSSG claims
• have accurate and up-to-date data on both Surestart_on and children's-centre tracker systems
• have all capital funding notionally allocated against developments
• demonstrate project-management capabilities for the capital programme, at a level that satisfies TfC and the architectural consultants
• or be working with TfC and/or the capital consultants to implement a plan, within an agreed short timescale, to have strong project-management capabilities in place.

Where building works will be completed by September 2008

Eligible children's centres are those in the following categories:

• capital projects where the core offer is already designated by March 2008 (i.e. services are on offer within one building) but there are minor building works which will be completed by September 2008.
• capital projects where the children's centre expenditure is part of a school rebuild/significant refurbishment or is part of a large-scale community development.

Where building works will be completed after September 2008

• As above, plus the local authority must be able to bring forward a phase 3 centre to be deignated by March 2008.