Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Strategic Director for Corporate Resources.

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED that Council approve:

(1)  the overall financial position for the 2024/25 Annual Capital Programme; and

(2)  the further funding requests to the Council’s Annual Capital Programme for 2024/25, as detailed in paragraph 8.6 of the report.

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

The Executive received the report on the current position of the Council’s revised Annual Capital Programme, which advises Members of the anticipated level of deferred expenditure into future years. The report also sought approval to amend the Annual Capital Programme in order to reflect the reported variations.

Particular reference was made to:-

·    the council had spent Council £2.89 million, of the revised Capital Programme in the preceding year, which equated to 12%;

·    there were further funding requests for a disabled facilities grant of £141,140, to be funded from external grants, a request for an additional £100,000 for Topsham Museum to address unforeseen additional structural issues funded from borrowing and a request for a Harbour Workboat, which was expected to be funded from Capital receipts when they were available.

During the discussion, Executive Members raised the following points and questions:-

·         a report would be coming to Executive in 2025 about the Harbour Workboat; and

·         the funding support to the Topsham museum was welcomed.

Councillors Jobson, Mitchell and Moore spoke on the item as opposition group leaders and raised the following points and questions:-

·         clarity was sought on borrowing to cover the Topsham museum funding, given the Council was no longer borrowing and would that delay the work?

·         the landfill gas extraction system was currently postponed, but would a report on methane emissions from the landfill extraction system be made available to Members? and

·         was the £4.9 million deferral for the Guildhall shopping centre related to the potential office move?

In response to questions raised, the Strategic Director for Corporate Resources advised that:-

·         the work at Topsham museum would not be held up. The Council was not currently using long term borrowing, but was able to use short-term borrowing or use its own cash reserves;

·         questions relating to landfill extraction would need to be sent to the relevant officer to respond to;

·         the Guildhall shopping centre budget enabled the Council to fulfil its duties as a  landlord for new tenants. The budget to support any potential office move would be presented as a separate report for funding if the process were approved by Members.

The Leader moved the recommendations, which were seconded by Councillor Wright, voted upon, and CARRIED unanimously.

RECOMMENDED that Council approve:

(1)  the overall financial position for the 2024/25 Annual Capital Programme; and

(2)  the further funding requests to the Council’s Annual Capital Programme for 2024/25, as detailed in paragraph 8.6 of the report.