Growing tomorrow's childcare

Autumn 2024 (S106) capital funding opportunities are available from 30 September.

Section 106 capital funding is money secured by the local authority to develop the infrastructure needed to support new housing developments; in this case, money to create new early years and childcare places.

Essex is one of very few local authorities who use this money to invite capital funding applications from our early years providers.

If you have new housing in your area, there might be funding that you could apply for to either expand your current setting, or even build a new one. Providers should note the following:

The funding pots listed below have been prioritised based on the Summer 2024 Childcare Sufficiency data submitted by providers onto the Early Years Portal
It is important that we use the funding to support the sector and not compromise the sustainability of existing provision
If there is development in your area but no funding to apply for, it could be that the data did not indicate the need for new places, OR, that funding has not yet been received by ECC

Autumn 2024 S106 capital funding opportunities

Braintree district	Braintree central & Beckers Green, Bocking South, Braintree West, Bocking Blackwater, Hatfield Peverel & Terling, Yeldham
Epping Forest district	Waltham Abbey Honey Lane
Uttlesford district	Saffron Walden castle
Rochford district	Roche South and Hullbridge
Colchester City	Shrub End and Wivenhoe
Tendring district	Kirby le Soken & Hamford, Lawford, Manningtree & Mistley and Cann Hall (St Mary's)

If you are committed to delivering good or outstanding provision we are looking for applications that will create new childcare places within the local communities listed above.

S106 funding is capital funding; this means buildings and fixed assets. It cannot fund resources or running costs such as staffing or rent. Building projects must meet standard set by ECC in:

fire safety
heating and ventilation
accessibility
environmental efficiency

The table below shows the timeline for these opportunities:

Launch	Monday 30 September 2024
Last date for BMC or CCDL support*	Friday 6 December 2024
Closing date	Friday 20 December 2024
Quality visit	Monday 20 January to Wednesday 12 February 2025
Site visit to assess build project	Monday 20 January to Wednesday 12 February 2025
Moderation panel	Friday 14 February 2025
EY Resource panel	Thursday 20 February 2025

* See contact section below for how to contact the Business Management Consultant or Children's Community Development Lead.

The table below shows the current opportunities, and the amount of funding and project scope for each:

District	Project name	Ward/s	Funding Available (these values are subject to the addition of interest in in October so may be slightly higher)	Minimum number of new childcare places required	Project scope
Braintree	EY&C Braintree Central ward	Braintree Central & Beckers Green Bocking South	£281,424	12	Project scope Braintree Central
	EY&C Braintree West ward	Braintree West	£128,533	6	Project scope Braintree West
	EY&C Bocking & Blackwater	Bocking Blackwater Bocking South	£71,956	3	Project scope Bocking & Blackwater
	EY&C Hatfield Peverel & Terling	Hatfield Peverel & Terling	£446,744	19	Project scope Hatfield Peverel & Terling
	EY&C Yeldham	Yeldham	£81,872	4	Project scope Yeldham
Epping Forest	EY&C Waltham Abbey Honey ward	Waltham Abbey Honey Lane	£22,259	1	Project scope Waltham Abbey Honey Lane
Uttlesford	EY&C Saffron Walden Castle ward	Saffron Walden Castle	£334,562	15	Project scope Saffron Walden Castle
Rochford	Rochford EY&C pot	Roche South Hullbridge	£623,646	29	Project scope Rochford
Colchester	EY&C Colchester	Shrub End	£240,498	11	Project scope Colchester
	EY&C Broadfields, Wivenhoe	Wivenhoe	£82,124	4	Project scope Wivenhoe
Tendring	EY&C Hamford	Kirby le Soken & Hamford	£181,893	8	Project scope Hamford
	EY&C Manningtree, Mistley & Little Bentley	Lawford, Manningtree & Mistley	£294,908	14	Project scope Manningtree & Mistley
	EY&C Brightlingsea	Brightlingsea	£151,416	7	Project scope Brightlingsea
	EY&C St Mary's ward, Tendring	Cann Hall/St Mary's	£310,811	14	Project scope St Mary's

Please note the following:

The terms of each Section 106 agreement are different. Check the Project Scope to ensure that your project meets the criteria.
The S106 is a legally binding agreement and therefore not open to negotiation.
If you are outside of the specified locality, or if you will not be delivering services for the identified age range, your application will not be able to progress
Guidance notes are included throughout the application form - refer to these notes when completing the form

Support is available through our Business Management Consultants who will be happy to offer information, advice and guidance as you develop your proposal.

Please note that any requests for support must be made before the date specified in the timeline to allow time for information to be gathered.

Contact: Business Management Consultant BMC@essex.gov.uk;

Contact: Children's Community Development Lead CCDL@essex.gov.uk