To approve the proposed capital programme including proposed investment additions for 2018/19 onwards.

Council considered a report by the Leader of the Council setting out the proposed Capital Programme for 2018/19. The report was introduced by the Cabinet Member Finance, Housing and Corporate Services who moved the Capital Programme 2018/19 as set out in the papers and explained that the schedule in appendix 3 had been changed from earlier years to improve the presentation of the schemes. The Leader seconded the Capital Programme as contained in the papers.

Members made the following points in the debate that followed:

·         The change to the presentation of the figures was welcomed but it was felt that further detail was required to enable members to scrutinise the Capital Programme and propose alternative budgets. Greater detail regarding those schemes up to £500k was also requested. The Leader confirmed that he would work with the cabinet member and the Section 151 Officer to provide detail on the schemes as the year progressed.

·         Concern was expressed regarding development partnership activities and the amount of money that it was proposed would be provided to a preferred partner. The obligations of the council to the preferred partner were queried. The Leader confirmed that projects would go out to open tender to select a development partner but there was no obligation to contract those organisations involved in the early stages of working on proposals and producing plans.

·         A project from the current year had overspent significantly and a greater level of monitoring and scrutiny of spend on capital projects was urged in the forthcoming year.

·         The future of the street lighting scheme was queried. The Cabinet Member Finance, Housing and Corporate Services confirmed that all LED lights had now been installed and the scheme had concluded.

·         Detail regarding the stage reached in the development of the New Model Farm at Ross-on-Wye was requested. The Leader confirmed that the Council would be kept advised on progress with the New Model Farm scheme. The Cabinet Member Economy and Communications explained that a planning application for employment elements on the site would be brought forward in February 2018.

·         The investment in the A44 was welcomed and it was hoped this could be financed through money from the Challenge Fund. Greater flexibility between the revenue and capital budget was suggested to address the need for road maintenance.

·         There was reference to the gypsy and traveller pitch development contained in the proposed schemes but this did not include a temporary stopping site which had been recommended by the General Scrutiny Committee.

·         It was questioned whether the proposed expenditure on disabled and independent living facilities was to mitigate the closure of the Redhill centre and whether this formed part of the savings proposals. The Cabinet Member Health and Wellbeing confirmed that the disabled facilities grant would be means tested and it was likely that some individuals using the Redhill centre would be provided with facilities financed through the fund. The Redhill centre would continue to provide care services until it became vacant when it could then be considered for asset disposal.

·         The level of slippage reported in appendix 2 in the papers was highlighted. Detail regarding the reasons for the slippage and why it was accelerating was requested. The reallocation of funding between projects was queried. The Cabinet Member Finance, Housing and Corporate Services explained that the slippage of schemes could be for a variety of reasons including planning issues or delays with procurement processes. It was confirmed that governance arrangements for the Capital Programme did not allow for the reallocation of spending from one project to another.

·         The importance of prudential borrowing was raised particularly in light of the Commons briefing on borrowing and debt. The Cabinet Member for Finance, Housing and Corporate Services explained that in order to finance capital spend borrowing was required. The Section 151 Officer approved borrowing and members would approve the treasury management strategy to agree the limits within which borrowing could occur.

·         Concern was expressed regarding the use of the term ‘political support’ on the scoring table for schemes in the report; this was felt to be misleading and the title of the column should be amended. The Leader agreed to discuss with the Cabinet Member for Finance, Housing and Corporate Services and the Section 151 Officer. 

A named vote was conducted on the capital programme, as set out in the report.

The capital programme was approved 39 votes in favour, 7 votes against and 4 votes to abstain.

For (39): Councillors SP Anderson, PA Andrews, BA Baker, WLS Bowen, TL Bowes, H Bramer, CR Butler, ACR Chappell, MJK Cooper, PE Crockett, P Cutter, BA Durkin, PJ Edwards, CA Gandy, KS Guthrie, J Hardwick, DG Harlow, EL Holton, JA Hyde, TM James, PC Jinman, AW Johnson, JF Johnson, JG Lester, RI Matthews, RL Mayo, MT McEvilly, PD Newman, CA North, RJ Phillips, PD Price, P Rone, AR Round, A Seldon, NE Shaw, J Stone, EJ Swinglehurst, DB Wilcox, SD Williams.

Against (7): EPJ Harvey, J Kenyon, MD Lloyd-Hayes, SM Michael, AJW Powers, D Summers, A Warmington.

Abstentions (4): JM Bartlett, EE Chowns, PP Marsh, FM Norman, 

Resolved – that the proposed Capital Programme for 2018/19, in appendix 3 in the papers, is approved.