Major Capital Grants for Building, Refurbishment and Equipment

Project management

It is the responsibility of the Department to which the grant has been made to ensure that only valid expenditure is charged to the grant account in line with the terms and conditions of the agreement and also to ensure that spending is kept within budget and time limits. For building work the responsibility for some or all the costs may be passed to Estates.

• For equipment, any excess of costs over funding will be charged to the Department’s operating budget

• For building & refurbishment projects, any increase to budgeted costs must be authorised by way of a revised cost profile approved by the relevant Head of Department and the Director of Finance. This should make clear where the additional funding is to come from. No further expenditure may be committed until this is done.

Significant variations in the timing and pattern of expenditure compared to the original profile must be notified to the Finance Office. HEFCE require variations in expenditure of more than 50% in one month or significant delays to be notified to them and this should be done through the Finance Office.

The responsible Department should let the Finance Office / RSU know as soon as the project is ‘complete’ in order that a final claim can be submitted to the project sponsor. That claim should be submitted by the Finance Office / RSU, but may be prepared with the assistance of the Department.

Where a completion statement is required by the sponsor, this should be submitted by the Finance Office / RSU in the case of equipment grants or by Estates in the case of building grants (with a copy to Finance)

Any audit required of the financial aspects of the project should be organised by the Finance Office / RSU. Any costs (where rules require an external auditor) will be borne by the Department.

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