Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
Catholic Education Office

School Buildings – Capital Works

Related Policies:

School Buildings – Maintenance Work
School Buildings – Health and Safety
School Buildings - Planning
School Buildings - Security

Purpose:

This policy gives schools guidance and direction to ensure a school's buildings and premises are adequate for the courses of study and the number of students in each course.

Policy:

Each school, under the direction of the Principal and in collaboration with the School Board and the Parish Priest, is responsible for ensuring that capital works (including landscaping) are appropriately designed, located and equipped for the courses of study and the number of students in each course.

Schools, which intend undertaking capital works shall ensure that the proposed project:

• Is consistent with sound educational planning, within both the school and the environment within which it is operating.
• Will not adversely affect the national estate value of a place in the Register of the National Estate in terms of the provisions of the Australian Heritage Commission Act 1975, (where applicable).
• Complies with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 as reflected in the Building Code of Australia applying at the time.
• Is constructed in accordance with the requirements of:
• The Building Code of Australia.
• Relevant council and government bodies.
• Relevant occupational health and safety legislation and subordinate legislation.
• Environmental and land use guidelines.
• Has been considered and developed in the context of the school's strategic plan.
• Has the prior approval of the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn.

In ACT and NSW schools, funding of capital works is primarily the responsibility of the school and local communities. Supplementary funding support is available for eligible capital works and allocated on a needs basis from:

• The Australian Government Capital Grants programmes processed through Block Grant Authorities.
• The Catholic Education Commission.
• NSW Government Interest Subsidy Scheme for Non Government Schools (NSW Schools only).
• The Canberra Catholic Schools Building Fund (ACT Schools only).

The Catholic Education Office, through the Finance and Planning Division, provides an advisory service to assist all schools to:

• Develop strategies to undertake necessary capital works improvements.
• Determine a project's eligibility for government funding and/or interest subsidy support.
• Develop an application for Australian Government capital support through the relevant Block Grant Authority.

Definitions:

Capital Works: The construction of new building(s) or the addition to or refurbishment of existing building(s) and associated infrastructure are categorised as capital works, which may vary in scope and cost.

Australian Government Capital Grants Programmes : Funding support is potentially available for eligible capital works projects through a number of grants provided by the Federal Government. These grants are supplementary to funds available within the school, which has the primary responsibility for providing, maintaining and upgrading school facilities.

Note: Funding from these programmes is not guaranteed and the local school/parish communities are required to make a financial contribution to fund the usual shortfall in grant support. For NSW schools, the local financial contribution is at least 30% of the cost of the total approved project. For ACT schools, the local financial contribution is the maximum a school can afford.

Warning : The realistic and eventual project cost is usually greater than the total approved project cost. Local communities are required to finance the difference in addition to the required minimum local contribution.

Block Grant Authorities: In 1987 the Australian Government introduced “block funding” for the Capital Grants Program for non-government schools. This financial assistance is provided through block grant authorities (BGAs). BGAs have been established to receive and assess applications, make recommendations to the Minister and administer non-government capital grants for participating schools.

• In NSW there is a Catholic Block Grant Authority made up of representatives of the eleven NSW dioceses and the congregational schools.
• The ACT Block Grant Authority is a joint authority representing both Catholic and other independent schools.

NSW Government Interest Subsidy Scheme for Non Government Schools: The NSW Government provides assistance in the way of subsidy on interest charges on loans taken out to meet project costs. Schools are required to make a contribution (whether by cash or unsubsidised loan) of at least 15% of the net value of the approved project.

This scheme is applicable only to NSW schools.

Note : The eligibility parameters relating to this scheme are quite complex; schools are encouraged to seek clarification from The Finance and Planning Division of the Catholic Education Office. All applications are to be submitted through the CEO.

CCSBF: The Canberra Catholic Schools Building Fund is applicable only to ACT schools and is endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office as a deductible gift recipient (DGR) and as such has the following characteristics:

• The fund is a public fund.
• The public fund is established and maintained solely for the acquisition, construction or maintenance of a building.
• The building is used, or is to be used, as a school or college.
• The building is used for that purpose by a non-profit society or association.

Expenditure on capital improvements and maintenance, as well as installation and maintenance of fixtures, are accepted outlays of a school building fund such as:

• Purchase of land for which there are definite plans to construct a building to be used as a school or college.
• Construction or purchase expenses and associated financing costs.
• Painting and general maintenance of school buildings, and building insurance.
• Expenditure on carpets, which are fixed to the floor of the school building.
• Administrative costs of the fund, including bank fees, accounting costs and fundraising expenses.

Costs that cannot be paid by a school building fund include:

• Running expenses of the school.
• Paying teachers.
• Buying furniture, equipment and materials including computers.
• Maintaining sports grounds, covered play areas, landscaping and carparks.
• Helping maintain the parish church.

Procedures:

Pre-Planning Approvals :

A school must, through its Parish Priest and/or the Catholic Education Office, gain approval from the Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn before any capital works project is commenced, including:

• Undertaking planning feasibility studies including master plans.
• Purchasing or disposing of land.
• Purchasing or disposing of transportable and/or permanent buildings.
• Retaining the services of building, design and/or planning consultants.
• Undertaking any capital work.

Capital Works Development :

The procedures to ensure buildings and premises are adequate include the following steps:

1. Planning and Facilities Section staff of the Catholic Education Office undertakes five yearly Registration and Renewal Facilities Inspection of a school's building and premises as part of the School Review and Development Process. Recommendations for capital improvement are usually made in this report.

2. Schools are requested annually to identify building and premises deficiencies, which may require a capital works solution.

3. Catholic Education Office and school staffs examine various aspects of requested or recommended capital works projects including:

• Educational need.
• Analysis of shortfall of facilities against acceptable standards for area and functionality.
• Financial capacity of school and local community.
• Suitability for submission through the BGAs for Federal Government funding support.

4. Potential capital works projects are submitted for further examination to the Capital and Facilities Committee of the Catholic Education Office.

5. The Capital and Facilities Committee of the Catholic Education Office makes the following recommendations to the Director:

• That capital work should or should not be further developed at a particular school.
• That a particular funding model to finance the capital works project be pursued.

6.  If endorsed by the Director, the proposed capital works projects are further developed subject to additional approvals from:

• The Catholic Education Commission.
• The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn.

7. Schools are advised of the outcome of their request to undertake capital works and requested to establish a planning committee comprising the following:

• Principal (Committee chairperson).
• Parish Priest.
• Board/P&F Representative(s).
• Staff representative(s).
• Catholic Education Office representative(s).

8. School planning committees, in collaboration with external consultants as required, develop a minimum viable capital works project application for potential submission for funding support from:

• The local school/parish communities.
• The Catholic Education Commission.
• The relevant Australian Government Capital Grants Programme.

Note : It may be preferable to undertake a master plan at this stage rather than pursuing a specific capital works project that has not been considered in the context of a school's strategic plan.

9.  School planning committees, through the Planning and Facilities Section of the Catholic Education Office, submit costed, minimum viable capital works project applications to the Director for endorsement to proceed.

10. If endorsed by the Director, capital projects are submitted to the Catholic Education Commission for approval.

11. If approved by the Catholic Education Commission, capital projects are either:

• Submitted through the relevant BGA for Australian Government funding support with contributions from the local school/parish communities and from the Catholic Education Commission* (this is the preferred funding arrangement for capital projects).
• Commenced and funded entirely by the local school/parish community.
• Commenced and funded by entirely by the Catholic Education Commission*.
• Commenced and funded partly by the Catholic Education Commission* and partly by the local school/parish community.

Note: * Funding support from the Catholic Education Commission is provided on a needs basis. In ACT schools funding support for capital projects is provided on a needs basis from the Canberra Catholic Schools Building Fund.

Supported Capital Works Projects :

The procedures to be followed upon receipt of approval to proceed with a capital works project are:

1. If the capital works is a BGA project, the Director of the Catholic Education Office accepts the Australian Government grant and the attached conditions and assumes the role of delegated authority, who is responsible for ensuring the approved capital project is developed in accordance with the condition of the grant.

2. At the Director's request a school building committee shall be established comprising:

• Principal (Committee chairperson).
• Parish Priest.
• Board/P&F Representative(s).
• Staff representative(s).
• Catholic Education Office representative(s).
• Design consultant – preferably an Architect.

Note: Building committees should be established for all capital projects, not just BGA projects.

3. A collaborative design development process will ensure that the preliminary design develops into an agreed, affordable and compliant design.

4. Building committees are encouraged to be very aware of budgetary constraints throughout the design development phase particularly where approved BGA projects have had cost estimates reduced.

5. Following the acceptance of final sketch plans, tender documentation is developed and documents are issued for tender.

Note : It is recommended, particularly for larger projects, that a pre-tender estimate is produced to identify potential budgetary problems. For BGA projects over $75,000 a minimum of six builders shall be invited to tender. The tender period for BGA projects is a minimum of 21 days.

6. Following receipt of tender and possible tender negotiations, the final tender price is submitted to the Director and the relevant BGA for approval (as applicable). Projects shall not proceed without these approvals.

7. It is not uncommon for the tendered price of capital works projects to be higher than the approved project budget. If this occurs the following action must be taken:

• All reasonable savings must be considered and realized.
• The school/local communities fund the budget shortfall.
• If the school/local community cannot afford the cost overrun, a submission for funding support can be made through the Director to the Catholic Education Commission, which will consider the request on a needs basis. (Additional funding support is not guaranteed.)

Note: BGA projects cannot be reduced in scope without prior approval of the relevant block grant authority. If this were to occur, a percentage of the grant would be returned to the government.

8. Upon receipt of all approvals, the capital works project can proceed.

Capital Works Projects During Construction:

Schools in collaboration with the Planning and Facilities Section of the Catholic Education Office, shall follow these procedures during the construction phase:

• Hold regular client and site meetings with the builder and members of the external consulting team as required. The school principal shall chair the client meetings.
• Ensure that student and staff safety is an agenda item at these meetings.
• Schools should follow agreed communications protocols between the project architect, builder, subcontractors and the planning officers of the Catholic Education Office and the school.
• Schools should ensure that students, staff and visitors do not enter construction sites or interfere with the construction processes and personnel.

Capital Works Completion: Schools are encouraged to celebrate the completion of a significant capital works project by holding opening ceremonies and recognising the contribution of participants in the process.

For BGA projects, it is required that the following protocols are followed:

• A representative of the Australian Government is invited to a school's/facility's opening.
• A plaque recognizing the financial contribution of, at least, the Australian Government is affixed to the school premises.

Note: Further information regarding school opening protocols is available from the Planning and Facilities Section of the Catholic Education Office.

References:

NSW Catholic Block Grant Authority; Australian Government Capital Grants programmes, Guidelines .

ACT Block Grant Authority, Administrative Guidelines

Interest Subsidy Management Committee; Interest Subsidy Scheme, Guidelines , 2005

Australian Government Programmes for Schools – 2005, Quadrennial Administrative Guidelines – 2005-2008, Capital Grants

Forms:

Nil

Last updated on December 2, 2006