Issue - decisions

Matter for Decision: To consider the Arts, Sports and Public Places Portfolio Revenue and Capital Budgets.

 

Decision of the Executive Councillor for Arts, Sports and Public Places:

 

The Executive Councillor resolved to

 

Review of Charges

 

a)           Approve the proposed charges for Arts, Sport and Public Places services and facilities, as shown in Appendix B of the committee report.

 

b)           Delegate authority for the setting of any new charges arising to the Director of Customer & Community Services. This delegation is intended to cover the financial year 2013/14.

 

 

Revenue Budgets

 

c)           Approve, with any amendments, the current year funding requests and savings, (shown in Appendix A of the committee report.) and the resulting revised revenue budgets for 2012/13 (shown in Table 1 of the committee report.) for submission to the Executive.

 

d)           Agree proposals for revenue savings and unavoidable bids, as set out in Appendix C of the committee report.

 

e)           Agree proposals for Priority Policy Fund (PPF) bids, as set out in Appendix E of the committee report..

 

f)           Approve the budget proposals for 2013/14 as shown in Table 2 of the committee report, for submission to the Executive.

 

Capital

 

g)      Seek approval from the Executive to carry forward resources from 2012/13, as detailed in Appendix G of the committee report, to fund re-phased capital spending.

 

h)           Approve capital bids, as identified in Appendix H of the committee report, for submission to the Executive for inclusion in the Capital & Revenue Projects Plan or addition to the Hold List, as indicated.

 

i)           Approve the creation of six capital programmes, remits and proposed outcomes as outlined in Annex 1 of the committee report

a. Replacement of Parks & Open Space Litter & Waste Bins

b. City-wide Developer Contribution Funds

c. Area Committee (East) Developer Contribution Funds

d. Area Committee (North) Developer Contribution Funds

e. Area Committee (South) Developer Contribution

f. Area Committee (West/Central) Developer Contribution Funds

 

j)           Confirm that the items detailed in Appendix I be transferred from the Council’s Hold List for addition to the Capital Plan as outlined in Agenda Item 16 (“Options for the use of City-Wide Developer Contributions”)

a. Logan’s Meadow Local Nature Reserve extension

b. Paradise Local Nature Reserve improvements

 

k)       Seek approval from the Executive that the following to schemes be deleted from the Capital & Revenue Projects plan as detailed in Appendix G of the committee report.

a. SC499 – Outdoor Fitness Equipment in Parks

b. SC514 – Petersfield Play Area Equipment

 

l)           Approve the current Capital & Revenue Projects Plan, as detailed in Appendix J, of the committee report. to be updated for any amendments detailed in (g), (h), (i), (j) and (k) above.

 

m)           Approve the following project appraisals as detailed in Agenda Items 13 and 14

a. Corn Exchange Improvements

b. Corn Exchange - improvements to heating management system

 

Reason for the Decision:

 

As per the officer report

 

Any alternative options considered and rejected:

 

N/A

 

Scrutiny Considerations:

 

The committee received a report from the Principal Accountant (Services) regarding the Revenue and Capital Budgets for the Arts, Sport and Public Places portfolio.

 

The committee asked the following questions

 

i.                    Further clarification was requested on the variances in the budgets, specifically in the Arts and Recreation area. The Head of Arts and Recreation provided an overview of the reasons for variances for each of the budget headings.

 

 

 

ii.                  Additional clarity was requested on the delays with implementing the play facilities on the Vie Site. The Executive Councillor explained the reasons for the purchase of the equipment and the reasons for the delay.

 

iii.                Clarification was requested on the income performance of the Corn Exchange. The Head of Arts and Recreation explained that the end of year forecast or the current year was a £35k underachievement against the overall income target; this income target had been increased in 2011/12 by a further  £50k.

 

iv.               Officers were asked to provide more information regarding the review process for the Folk Festival. The Head of Arts and Recreation explained that the festival was extensively reviewed every year. The Executive Councillor confirmed that the ward specific issues had been addressed.

 

v.                 It was suggested that it was expected that the next 12 months would be a challenging climate for the entertainment business. The Head of Arts and Recreation accepted that although economic conditions were challenging, the service had made progress across a number of areas to address this and the Executive Councillor also supported that view

 

vi.               Further clarification was requested on the Vie Play Equipment. Following discussion regarding the issues on the site, the Executive Councillor suggested that he; Ward Councillors and officers should meet on site to go through all the issues. In response to a specific question, the Asset Manager confirmed that the ground maintenance had been contracted to the county council in order to demonstrate (and prevent repayment of S106) that the funds had been committed.

 

vii.     The Executive Councillor was asked regarding the use of Pyes Pitches, and whether they could be better utilised. The Executive Councillor explained that recent review of the demand suggested that local sports clubs preferred Chesterton Recreation Field.

 

The committee endorsed the recommendations by 4 votes to 0.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

 

Conflicts of interest declared by the Executive Councillor (and any dispensation granted):

 

N/A