Capital Strategy Unit 

The Capital Strategy Unit was formed in April 2006 from the Provision Planning Unit of the Education and Libraries Directorate and the Education Capital Projects Team transferred from Property Group. The Unit has now been operational for a year, and this year's Business Plan will be the first dedicated plan for the unit.

The new unit's main responsibilities are:

• To be responsible for the development of the Primary Capital Programme Investment Strategy, Education Asset Management Plan and the links with other Education plans having capital implications
• To maximise the amount of funding for the maintenance, improvement and new building of the school estate to best support the improvement of standards of teaching and learning
• To work with CFE colleagues, Planning Authorities, District Councils and Developers to ensure school provision in the right place at right time to meet levels of demands
• To provide appropriate levels of contact with schools to support individual schools’ premises development plans to enable linking up of funding to target work to best support the continuing improvement of standards of teaching and learning
• To provide a clear CFE Client function, informing the work of the Property Group with appropriately briefed projects and programmes for subsequent delivery
• To work with the Buildings support and Customer Care team of the CFE Children’s Social Care Services to jointly provide a Directorate wide client property function. 

We can advise on:

• Funding strategies and availability of funding for capital building
• Priorities for school building works (maintenance and new build)
• Local Development Framework as they affect schools, and our response to them
• Development contributions
• Primary and secondary school sizes and briefs for accommodation
• Net Capacities of school
• Assessed condition and sufficiency of school accommodation
• Impact of new housing in an area and the pupil product ratio
• Sites for new schools
• New schools and expansions to schools
• Major new school building development and replacement projects
• DDA work (Disability Discrimination Act)
• Mobile classrooms
• Leases and licences on school premises
• Use by nurseries, playgroups and other bodies of school accommodation
• Mobile phone masts
• Caretakers' housing
• Tree removal and safety
• Boundary issues.

East Kent, Mid Kent and West Kent Areas

Lead multi-disciplinary teams to formulate programmes of improvement work for one Area, taking the lead in the process of developing projects at individual establishments to meet the needs of clients.

Undertake a lead role in formulating annual maintenance programmes for one Area in consultation with Headteachers, Governors, Education and Libraries and other department professional colleagues, providing advice and support on property matters where appropriate, to ensure buildings are fit for use and to attempt to reduce the maintenance backlog.

Prepare reports offering advice on the needs of schools and Area priorities for the compilation of submissions to seek funding, recommendations to Members for inclusions in the work programme, ensuring scarce resources are best used and to commission the work.

Contribute to the compilation of the Education Asset Management Plan providing advice and guidance to managers, Headteachers and Governors on what should be included.

Manage on a county wide basis, one specific area of work ensuring that the requirements of the Authority are met.

Monitor progress against budget for the Area Annual Programme of Buildings Maintenance ensuring that in meeting maintenance priorities and the needs of clients it is done within the set budgetary limit.