Agenda item

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND

1.   The approval of the revised capital programme to move £2.409m slippage identified at Quarter 2 into financial year 2021/22 as detailed in Appendix C.

2.   The approval of supplementary revenue budgets as follows:

·         Supplementary budget of £300k in the Local Development Framework (LDF) budget to fund the costs of producing the Local Plan, to be funded from the LDF reserve.

·         Supplementary budget of £30k in the Waste Development employees budget to fund a Recycling Officer post, to be funded from the Management of Change reserve.

3.   The approval of supplementary capital budgets as follows:

·         Additional capital budget of £180k in the Commercial Assets and Property Development budget to fund the costs of completion of the new Bunkers Farm cemetery, to be funded from a contribution from West Herts Crematorium Joint Committee.

·         Additional capital budget of £210k in the Leisure service to fund a Multi-Use Games Area at The Hemel Hempstead School.

·         Additional capital budget of £70k to fund audio-visual improvement works at The Forum.

4.   Approve a budget virement following receipt of £200k New Burdens funding related to Revenues and Benefits. Increase the budget in Revenues and Benefits employees costs by £75k and decrease the income budget by £125k, with an offsetting increase in the budget for Corporate Grants of £200k.

Decision

That the budget monitoring position for each of the above accounts be considered and:

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND

1.   The approval of the revised capital programme to move £2.409m slippage identified at Quarter 2 into financial year 2021/22 as detailed in Appendix C.

2.   The approval of supplementary revenue budgets as follows:

·         Supplementary budget of £300k in the Local Development Framework (LDF) budget to fund the costs of producing the Local Plan, to be funded from the LDF reserve.

·         Supplementary budget of £30k in the Waste Development employees budget to fund a Recycling Officer post, to be funded from the Management of Change reserve.

3.   The approval of supplementary capital budgets as follows:

·         Additional capital budget of £180k in the Commercial Assets and Property Development budget to fund the costs of completion of the new Bunkers Farm cemetery, to be funded from a contribution from West Herts Crematorium Joint Committee.

·         Additional capital budget of £210k in the Leisure service to fund a Multi-Use Games Area at The Hemel Hempstead School.

·         Additional capital budget of £70k to fund audio-visual improvement works at The Forum.

4.   Approve a budget virement following receipt of £200k New Burdens funding related to Revenues and Benefits. Increase the budget in Revenues and Benefits employees costs by £75k and decrease the income budget by £125k, with an offsetting increase in the budget for Corporate Grants of £200k.

Deputy Section 151 Officer

This is a Deputy S.151 Officer report.

Monitoring Officer

No comments to add to the report.

Advice

Councillor Elliot introduced the report to members which provided the usual details of the projected outturn for 2020/21 and recommends the approval of certain movements in the revised capital budget, moving £2.4 million into the next financial year. This includes £300k to fund the Local Development Plan, £30k for a waste development employee post, £180k for the Commercial Assets and Property Development budget, an additional capital budget of £210k for the leisure service to fund a multiuse games area at The Hemel Hempstead School and £70k to fund audio visual improvements at The Forum. The financial forecast outlined in the report was accurate at the end of September and the biggest driver was the impact of covid-19. Since the report was written, the Covid related forecasts have been further updated to reflect the position as at the end of October and are included in the Covid impact report which is next on the agenda.

Councillor Birnie referred to page 26, paragraph 5.2 and commented on the aging vehicle fleet and the replacement programme. He asked if this pressure would extend into next year as he had had conversations with the Group Manager who said that once the vehicle chassis had been delivered, it takes another 24 weeks for the vehicle to be completed.

Councillor Williams said the delivery will be of completed vehicles not just the chassis.

Councillor Birnie said he was informed they weren’t delivered until December which would mean the actual completed vehicles wouldn’t be delivered until June.

Councillor Williams responded that there might have been a misunderstanding as the completed vehicles are being delivered from December.

N Howcutt said the maintenance budget is there and used for certain vehicles, what is being projected here, is over and above the maintenance budget that currently exists. We are not expecting to incur additional maintenance costs above what is in the budget. The vehicles are delivered complete and he would check with the Group Manager about the delivery programme but was not aware of any ongoing maintenance costs into next year.

J Deane added that the reason why there are additional pressures at the moment is that the ageing fleet is being propped up. Once the new fleet arrives, the maintenance bill will decrease.

Councillor Birnie referred to the £50k pressure in appeals in paragraph 5.3. He asked if this was a one off cost because he thought Dacorum’s performance on appeals had improved.

J Doe said the pressure was put under the appeals reserve heading but it wasn’t a planning appeal. It was a successful judicial review against a small supermarket in Markyate that DBC lost in court. The appeals performance is good and this was a one off.

Councillor Birnie referred to the £65k pressure at the Maylands Business Centre and asked if this was covid related.

N Howcutt says this relates to the loss on rental income. We have been unable to turn around the vacant premises as quickly as we would have liked due to covid.

Councillor Birnie queried the pressure on £12k relating to cess pits and commented that he would have thought with more people at home, we would make more money from emptying.

J Deane said he would have to look into the detail and come back to Councillor Birnie outside the meeting.

Councillor Anderson added that he would have thought emptying more cess pits would drive up the costs.

Recommendations agreed.