Capital Plan to be Discussed

Councillors are to consider a five-year building programme for the city worth nearly £390 million.

The City Governance committee is being asked to approve the council’s Capital Plan for 2024-29 at its next meeting on Monday February 19.

The plan is made up of spending on council themes and priorities which are:

• £99 m Reducing Child Poverty and Inequalities in Incomes, Education and Health
• £28.6 m Delivery Inclusive Economic Growth
• £88.1 m Tackle Climate Change and Reach Net Zero carbon emissions by 2045
• £114.5 m Build Resilient and Empowered Communities
• £57.9 m Design a Modern Council

The councils Net Zero ambitions make nearly a quarter of the Capital Plan, which includes the Green Transport Hub & Spokes at Bell Street Multi Storey Car Park, Energy efficiency measures in Council Housing and Low carbon projects.

Meanwhile, the committee will hear that work has started on the new East End Community Campus with the superstructure now progressing. Although a nominal amount of time was lost due to Storm Babet, this will be managed through the overall construction programme with the project maintaining the target for August 2025 opening.

Council leader Cllr John Alexander said, “Despite the many challenges that we are facing because of difficult conditions affecting the construction industry, we are still managing to deliver major capital projects across the city.

“We are determined to deliver on our priorities and have implemented savings to the five-year plan so that we can focus on what really matters.

“The council is also looking closely at how to take forward the Western Gateway primary school, but there remain a number of factors outwith our control.

“We remain committed to using the capital plan as a method to create employment opportunities and to help the local economy grow.”