Issue - meetings

To consider the report for the Chief Finance Officer.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 22 March 2018 and its comments will be reported.

The Chief Finance Officer presented the report on the current position in respect of the Council’s revised annual capital programme and to advise Members of the anticipated level of deferred expenditure into future years. The report also sought Member approval to amend the annual capital programme in order to reflect the reported variations.

The Chief Finance Officer advised that during the first nine months of the year the Council had spent £6.597million on the programme, this was compared to £5.956 million being spent in the first nine months of 2016/17. He referred Members to the completion of the repairs and extension to Alphington Village Hall.

The Leader congratulated officers for keeping the budgets under control.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 22 March 2018 and its comments were reported.

RECOMMENDED Council to approve the revision of the annual capital programme to reflect the reported variations detailed in 8.4 and 8.5 of the circulated report.

To consider the report of the Chief Finance Officer.

The Chief Finance Officer presented the report on the Capital Monitoring Statement which local authorities were required to produce to monitor progress against the amounts estimated when setting the prudential indicators for capital expenditure.  . The annual capital programme was updated every three months to reflect cost variations, slippage or acceleration of projects.

He referred Members to the report, highlighting the current position of the Council’s revisions to the capital programme since the last meeting and performance which showed the revised capital programme for the current financial year was £17m, with £6.6m spent in the first nine months, equating to 38.37% of the revised programme.  The main expenditure variances for 2017/18, deferred schemes to 2018/19 and beyond, and the achievements from the third quarter were discussed.

In response to a question from a Member, the Chief Finance Officer explained that the budget bidding process for 2018/19 had required a timeline for the delivery of each project and phasing across a three year periodto enable Scrutiny Committee monitor progress and require attendance by Project Managers to explain delays or deferred schemes to Members.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee supported the report and requested Executive to recommend to Council to approve the revision of the annual capital programme to reflect the reported variations detailed in 8.4 and 8.5 of the report.