SOUTH Gloucestershire Council has announced plans to invest more than £100million into public services over the next three years.

The authority’s cabinet is due to agree a capital spending programme of £102million at a budget-setting meeting tomorrow.

Nearly half the money will be spent on transport with £47.2million being earmarked for highways investment including constructing a major part of the North Fringe to Hengrove rapid transit system and continuing to invest an extra £2million in road resurfacing.

A further £29.7million will be invested in schools, including building a new £5.4million primary school at Cheswick Village, next to the University of the West of England’s Frenchay campus, and refurbishments at Wick Primary School and Hambrook Primary School costing £5.5million combined. Other planned investment includes £8.4milllion in adult social care including £3.9million to install home disability adaptations and £3million in new extra care housing schemes and £3.1million in energy-saving improvements.

Cllr John Goddard (Con, Hanham), executive member for corporate resources, said: "This is a really exciting vision because it’s about investing in the future and demonstrating a real ambition for South Gloucestershire.

"In line with our new sustainable community Strategy, these investment priorities are about responding to the new opportunities and challenges presented by local and national policy and socio-economic changes - from caring for our older generation through to raising aspirations amongst our younger generation.

"Delivering these investment priorities will strengthen the foundations of our local economy, provide a solid basis for sustainable growth going forward and maintaining the area as a great place to live and work."

Also included in the capital spend programme is £2.9million in superfast broadband in a project which includes a £710,000 grant from the government body Broadband Delivery UK. It means that nine out of 10 people will have access to broadband speeds of up to 24mbps by 2015 making the project, in conjunction with Wiltshire Council, one of the most advanced in the country.