Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Chief Finance Officer.

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, including the request for additional funding to support the agile working project in Environmental Health & Licensing (although part of this cost would be met from a grant).

Councillor Musgrave, having given notice under Standing Order No.44, spoke on this item. He had submitted seven questions relating to the Exeter City Council Sleep Safe shelters. Councillor Morse, as the Portfolio Holder for People provided the responses which are appended to these minutes.

The Portfolio Holder for People also wished to place on record her thanks and appreciation on behalf of the Council, for the hard work of both the Council’s own staff, as well as its partner agencies, in the work it undertook to support the sleep safe shelter initiative. 

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 28 March 2019 and its comments were reported.

RECOMMENDED That Council approve the revision of the annual capital programme to reflect the reported variations detailed in paragraphs 8.4 and 8.5 of the report presented to the meeting, together with the additions to the capital programme detailed in paragraph 8.7 of the report.

To consider the report of the Chief Finance Officer.

The Chief Finance Officer presented the Capital Monitoring Statement, which reported the current position of the Council’s revised annual capital programme and advised Members of the anticipated level of deferred expenditure into future years. Capital expenditure was a significant source of risk and uncertainty and the Capital Programme was updated every three months to reflect the latest costs and manage the risks.

He explained that that £10.7million had now been deferred to future years and that £1.074 million had been brought forward into 2018/19. There were a few significant projects in place at Exeter City Council, which would see substantially higher expenditure by the end of the next financial year. Members noted that they could enquire with project managers for explanations on why a scheme had been deferred.

The Chief Finance Officer referred to the completed schemes during the third quarter, stating that it was being recommended to Council, to add £74,900 to the Capital Programme for the Mobile and Agile Working for Environmental Health, which was a part of the Council’s Transformational Change Programme.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee supported the report and requested Executive to recommend to Council to approve:

(1)  The revision of the annual Capital Programme to reflect the reported variations detailed in 8.1, 8.4 and 8.5 of the report; and

(2)  The additions to the Capital Programme detailed in 8.7 of the report.