Issue - meetings

Due to the timescale and print deadlines, the recommendations of the meeting of Cabinet held on 14 February 2023 will be circulated to Members in advance of the meeting of Council

Item CB 23/14 referred from Cabinet minutes of 14 February 2023.

Members noted that the Capital Plan Review had been considered in detail by the Cabinet as part of the substantive item on Setting the Budget 2023/23 (Minute Number CB 23/11)

RESOLVED: That the recommendations at Minute CB 23/14 be noted

Recommendation (OS 23-4) of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 26 January 2023

All budgetary matters will be considered in the substantive item on Setting the Budget 2022/23

All budgetary matters were considered in detail in the substantive item on Setting the Budget 2023/24 (Minute Number CB 23/11).  However, the recommendations from the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 26 January 2023 in relation to the formulation of initial draft proposals in respect of the Budget, including the Capital Plan (Minute Number OS 23/4) was given due consideration as part of the substantive discussion.

The report reviews the current position of the existing Capital Plan and recommends schemes to be added to and deleted from List C; schemes for evaluation and schemes for inclusion on List B.   An updated Capital Strategy is also presented for endorsement.

The report of the Director of Finance and Transformation considered progress on the 2022/23 Capital Plan Review and requested endorsement of recommendations to the Cabinet.  Members were reminded that any aspirations in respect of capital schemes needed to be set within the context of the difficult and challenging financial outlook.

Particular reference was made to proposals for List C which included the addition of ‘fast track’ schemes in respect of Gibson East Refurbishment and De-carbonising the Councils estate as outlined in 1.5.3 of the report. Funding arrangements for these schemes were set out in 1.7.3 to 1.7.6 and it was reported that the Gibson East Refurbishment should be seen as a standalone project, outside of the capital plan review process, due to its scale.  

Members recognised the significant financial implications in respect of the Gibson East Refurbishment and were reassured that the costs, risks, works and valuations associated with the project would be carefully monitored.

RECOMMENDED:  That

(1)             the Capital Plan (List A) position as set out in Annex 1 (attached to the report) be commended to Cabinet for endorsement;

(2)             List C be amended by Cabinet as detailed in 1.5.3 of the report and summarised above;

(3)             the schemes listed in 1.6.4 of the report be  selected for evaluation including where recommended for Fast Track evaluation;

(4)             the transfer of the two schemes shown in 1.7.3 of the report from List C to List B be commended to Cabinet for endorsement; and

(5)             the Cabinet be invited to endorse the Capital Strategy (attached at Annex 4) for adoption by the Council and publication on the Council’s website.

*Referred to Cabinet