12.1 Responsibility for Repairs and Maintenance

With the exception of capital expenditure as defined by the ‘CIPFA Code of Practice on local authority accounting’, Reading Borough Council will delegate all funding for repairs and maintenance to schools.

School’s should set their own de minimus limit in assigning whether work is classified as revenue or capital, the default being that used by the local authority.

For voluntary aided schools, the liability of the authority for repairs and maintenance is the same as for other maintained schools.

Voluntary Aided governor responsibilities are as set out in the DfE document ‘Funding for premises-related work at Voluntary Aided (VA) Schools in England’ effective from 1st April 2002. VA governors will continue to be eligible for grant from the DfE in respect of their statutory responsibilities and in addition they will have responsibility for other repair and maintenance items on the same basis as Community and Foundation schools. VA governing bodies are liable for:

• The existing buildings (internal and external);
• Those buildings previously known as ‘excepted’ (kitchens, dining areas, medical/dental rooms, swimming pools, caretakers’ dwelling houses);
• Perimeter walls and fences, even if they are around the playing fields;
• Playgrounds;
• Furniture, fixtures and fittings – but not normally ICT equipment;
• Other capital items (which can include boiler replacements and replacement of services).

LEA’s are liable for:

• Playing fields