MORE than £300 million has been approved for infrastructure projects in Enfield over the next three years.

Enfield Council's cabinet approved the spending programme on July 15, with no immediate let up in spending despite the recession.

The money will be spent on projects across the board, from road and pavement improvements to boosting the borough's primary school building programme.

Councillor Ertan Hurer, cabinet member for finance and resources, said: “We've had a policy over the last two years of being prudent and efficient and this is something we've planned all along.

“But it is still an achievement because we've held on to the money.”

Other projects will include the refurbishment of Enfield Town library, the extension and refurbishment of Formont Community Centre and investment in services for youth centres.

The council has defied the credit crunch and gloomy predictions over public spending by increasing its planned spending on capital projects next year, though after that spending will tail off.

Council papers reveal that while in the current financial year the authority plans to spend £155 million, by 2010/11 that will fall to £109 million and the following year just £64 million.

That creates the prospect of a large injection of capital in the lead up to an election year, in 2010, after which it will drop significantly.

But Mr Hurer said the “top-loading” of the investment formed part of a long term and “prudent” plan.

“That's often the case with this type of expenditure, and with capital projects in particular,” he said. “Unfortunately due to the economy we can only make realistic plans over the next 12 months.

“But in two years time if we're still in power – as I believe we should be – and the finances change, there may be more money.”

Around 55 per cent of the money will be raised by the council – mainly through borrowing – and the remainder will come from Government grants.