Early Years Capital Fund Grants...

[AnonyMouse_70143]

Hi all, just wondering if those who were successful with their bids for grants have received their money yet?

[AnonyMouse_1027]

• Just trying to get it through this week - hasn't been easy......

[AnonyMouse_70143]

Sounds like it's all been a bit frustrating. Do the conditions still stipulate that you have to have the service up and running in sept or have they extended the deadline?

[AnonyMouse_55063]

Is this the information you wanted to know?

 

http://eyfs.info/forums/topic/47595-anyone-else-awaiting-30-hours-capital-funding-decision/

 

Sorry.. I noticed you are aware of that thread by your comments

 

I am guessing if you want to know if anybody got their money yet Sorry

Edited March 15, 2017 by BroadOaks

[AnonyMouse_70143]

Thanks Broadoaks, yes was just wondering if anyone had actually received their money and been able to get started x

[AnonyMouse_49577]

Process is a nightmare to say the least. Communication is extremly slow between provider- LA- EFA.

both approved bids in our LA havent recieved funds and we've been informed today service agreement is for 25 YEARS and no sliding clawback!

 

If anyone has other info please share

[AnonyMouse_70143]

So are they still expecting the services to be up and running by September? That's a very tight timeframe if you are a new build....

[AnonyMouse_1027]

 

 

That's why we are hoping money will be through this week as a pre school has to close in July and need them up and running again for September.

[AnonyMouse_70143]

Hali, is your project a new build? If so is planning permission etc all in place and ready to go? Do the terms state whether there are any penalties if the new provision isn't available by sept?

[AnonyMouse_3307]

Our projects are being managed between now and September by the LA - our planning dept have been doing all the prelim work and the actual work will be done over Easter and the Summer holidays mainly.

Cx

[AnonyMouse_67549]

We have been asked to supply our bank with the terms and conditions of the Capital Grant Agreement. Has anyone received this from their LA?

[AnonyMouse_49577]

We have been asked to supply our bank with the terms and conditions of the Capital Grant Agreement. Has anyone received this from their LA?

[AnonyMouse_49577]

we have, however its different to many other LAs. process is a nightmare. currently stuck on term tine and clawback period.

[AnonyMouse_13588]

Apparently more money has been made available so more bids have now been accepted. Has anyone else heard this?

[AnonyMouse_70143]

Yes I believe this is true and that successful projects for this additional funding have been informed via their LA.

[AnonyMouse_49577]

timescale for completion of project has been extended to end of November. not sure if projects are being aproved because of additional funds or because of some successful providers pulling out.

[AnonyMouse_51737]

We have now had ours approved! the others in the area are still going ahead. The DfE have still not said why we was not accepted first time round but apparently they told our LA that as they have not spent all the money they can award other settings. Our area only got initial 2 out of 6 bids authorised now all 6 have been given the green light. Its a happy nightmare currently as we took the refusal on board and moved on putting in place plans for how to continue to make it work under not such good prospects, to now being swung in a complete 360. The extended dealing from DfE is end of November, however if we could not be ready by then the LA would go back to DfE and ask for an extension.

[AnonyMouse_13588]

We too have just been told that our bid has now been accepted. Fantastic News! It felt a little surreal as I could find no reference in the media to the additional funding now being available - hence my last post! I am waiting for further information about time scales. My builder would still like to get the units in place during the summer holidays but I don't know if we will be able to get the planning permission through in time. Lots to do!

[AnonyMouse_70143]

We have now been approved as well! I was a bit hesitant to post as we have been told it's confidential until the DfE makes a public announcement but so glad to hear that there are others who have been approved as well. Congratulations!

[AnonyMouse_49577]

Thats fantastic news everyone. really happy for you all.

 

please do let me know if your LA specifies number of years service has to be delevered.

[AnonyMouse_51737]

Slightly off topic but can anyone assist......... how much is commercial waste collections approx? yes i'm doing dreaded spreadsheet analysis - this new venture best be worth the hours I've spent looking at this computer screen

[AnonyMouse_25678]

Foreveryoung - there should be prices on your local council website - ours charge depending on how many sacks you want/need and we did get a discount when we were a charity - we pay £15 a quarter for 1 sack/ week for 38 weeks, although now there is no recycling bins near work we need more now - unfortunately our local council don't collect recycling for businesses

[AnonyMouse_23964]

I think we pay about £60 for 25 sacks. Our council does now do recycling sacks which are cheaper (can't remember how much). We have a weekly collection. It's still cheaper for us than having bins.

[AnonyMouse_70143]

Has anyone's funds arrived yet? We still can't start the important job of advertising and getting families booked in until the DfE have made their announcement...

[AnonyMouse_49577]

No. we're still waiting for clarification from EFA

[AnonyMouse_70143]

For those who are starting a new setting with the 30 hours grant, how are you intending to manage admissions? Will you only be offering places to 30 hour families or will you accept 15 hours? How about 2 year olds? The funding agreement states that the grant has to be used to provide 30 hours places however looking at business sustainability, it would be crazy to be turning away 15 hours families...anyone got any thoughts or advice?

[AnonyMouse_51737]

We are going from part days to new premises, full days term time only. I have 2 rooms 2-3 and 3-5, universal, extended funding and private care all accepted. I put up to 28 FTE places on bid, I will not be refusing 15 hr places or paid in case an extended funded child comes through. First come first served for us.

Heard from LA too other day, meeting with them after Easter break providing timeframe reports to draw down money as it's needed. Sounded positive process and they are currently working on getting agreement.

[AnonyMouse_70143]

Thanks Foreveryoung, that makes total sense. I am mainly concerned as we are a new setting in a brand new catchment so no existing admissions policy to start from. I can't see that the DfE would be encouraging us to turn down 15 hours children in order to hold a place in case a 30 hours child comes along next term but it's all a bit daunting, I don't know where we stand with offering 2 year old funded places as well. Our application was based on creating 26 FTE places for 30 hours so I'm not sure what flexibility is built in to ensure the business is sustainable. All things I need to clear up with the LA. We too have been told we should get a meeting soon after Easter bank holiday to get the process moving.

[AnonyMouse_70143]

DfE have published the second wave of successful applicants today so presumably we can start shouting about the projects now?!!

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/early-years-capital-fund-2017

[AnonyMouse_49577]

Yes Littlemay. we just about got our agreement signed today! construction seems to be a easy task in comparison to the beurecratic process we've encountered. We will now issue invoice and hopefully 15days later we will see first payment