Issue - meetings

To consider the report of Assistant Director Finance.

Scrutiny Committee – Resources considered the report at its meeting on 18 March 2015 and its comments will be reported.

The report of the Assistant Director Finance was submitted reporting on the current position in respect of the Council’s revised annual capital programme and advising Members of the anticipated level of deferred expenditure into future years. The revised capital programme for the current financial year was £23.168 million. During the first nine months of the year, the Council spent £11.098 million on the programme, which equated to 47.90% of the revised programme.  The current programme showed a total forecast spend for 2014/15 of £18.940 million with £3.957 million of the programme potentially being deferred to 2015/16.

The Assistant Director Finance advised that an additional capital request had been made to develop a tree management system which would enable the exact location of fallen or damaged trees in the city to be accurately recorded. The Council had secured funding from the UK Space Agency to develop this system and the only expense was for minimal amount of travel and subsistence.

In response to a Member’s question, the Assistant Director Finance clarified that the capital expenditure for the Leisure and Swimming Pool Complex could not be incorporated into the capital programme until planning permission had been secured.

Whilst the majority of Members supported the development of the Leisure and Swimming Pool Complex on the Coach and Bus Station site, two other Members were of the opinion that there were other more cost effective sites within the city where a pool could be located.

Scrutiny Committee – Resources considered the report at its meeting on 18 March 2015 and its comments were reported.

RECOMMENDED that Council notes and approves the:-

(1)        revisions to the capital programme detailed in Section 8.1;

(2)        revision of the annual capital programme to reflect the reported variations detailed in 8.4 and 8.5; and

(3)        proposed additions to the Capital Programme detailed in section 8.7.

(In accordance with Standing Order 43, Councillors Fullam and Leadbetter requested that their names be recorded as having voted against the recommendation)

To consider the report of the Principal Accountant and Assistant Director Finance.

The Assistant Director Finance presented the report to update Members 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 revised capital programme for the current financial year was £23.168 million. During the first nine months of the year, the Council spent £11.098 million on the programme, which equated to 47.90% of the revised programme.  He referred to two capital schemes which have been completed since the last quarter, including

£3 million paid to the Environment Agency, as part of an overall £30 million flood defence scheme, and also a more energy efficient condensing boiler was installed at Wonford Community Centre. 

Responding to a question from a Member submitted prior to the meeting, the Assistant Director Finance clarified that an additional capital request for £32,800 had been made to develop a tree management system which would enable the exact location of fallen or damaged trees in the city to be accurately recorded. This was using technology as part of a project developed by the UK space agency. Bartec Auto ID would be funding the project and the only expense to the City Council was for a minimal amount of travel and subsistence.  He also responded to a suggestion that an underspend in respect of smoke detector replacements could still have been used for more vulnerable occupants in council accommodation, confirming that the underspend would be passed back, but he would pass on members concerns to colleagues in Housing.

Scrutiny Committee – Resources noted the current position in respect of the annual Capital Programme and recommended approval by Council.