Approaching £90 million of public money will be spent over and above what the council had forecast over the next few years.
Westmorland and Furness Council approved its ‘capital spending’ budget from 2026-27 to 2030/31 earlier this year.
Capital spending is buying, constructing or improving physical assets such as land, buildings, vehicles or other property like streetlights and road signs.
It also includes grants and advances made to other bodies.
The capital programme approved in February set out £427.75 million to be spent from 2026 to 2031.
Extra pieces of spending from the 2025/26 financial year took the overall approved capital programme to £444.235 million.
But now, extra spending of almost £87 million is set to be made over the next five years.
The changes are detailed in a financial report prepared for the full council meeting this Thursday, September 24, at Kendal Town Hall.
The local transport grant will see extra funding of: £6.662 million to be spent this financial year, £7.744 million next year, £8.636 million in 2028/29, £9.528 million in 2029/30 and £9.528 million in 2030/31 – a total of £42.098 million.
The highways block is set to come £335,000 under budget this year, but future funding will be as follows: £4.83 million next year, £7.861 million in 2028/29, £13.632 million in 2029/30 and £13.632 million in 2030/31 – a total of £39.62 million.
All other funding is forecast to come in the current financial year.
There will be £2.942 million for high needs provision, which provides school placements for children with SEND or who require alternative provision.
A further £350,000 is to be spent on housing market renewal in Barrow as part of its Town Deal.
Two other changes are an extra £1.214 million for disabled facility grants and £29,000 for play areas.
Separate funding for new schemes includes: £120,000 for Grange CE Primary School, £443,000 from the Department for Education to be given to schools and £11,000 to go towards rights of way.
This new spending totals £86.827 million.
The changes in spending were approved at the Liberal Democrat administration’s cabinet meeting on September 8 but will now be considered by full council.
By Zach Harrison (Local Democracy Reporting Service)
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