Issue - meetings

This report presents the capital monitoring position at Quarter 3 for the current financial year 2023/24. The Committee is asked to review the progress of capital projects as set out in Appendix 1.

The Committee received a report presenting the capital monitoring position at Quarter 3 for the current financial year 2023/24, covering the period 01/04/2023 to 31/12/2023. The Committee was asked to review the progress of capital projects as set out in Appendix 1.

The following matters were considered:

a)            Financing of Core Capital Programme. A Member of the Committee asked for the row headings, set out in the table at 4.1 on page 118, to be explained. The Chief Accountant provided an explanation to each row heading for the Committee.

b)            Fairview Road. A Member of the Committee asked for an update on the Temporary Housing Accommodation project on Fairview Road.The Chief Accountant confirmed that a Committee Report agreed to earmark the funds for the scheme. The Head of Finance informed the Committee that there has been an issue around accessing the site and a resolution is needed before progress can be made. The Interim Director of Corporate Services confirmed that the access issue has not been resolved but the work on a resolution is ongoing.

c)            CIL Funds. A Member of the Committee asked why the CIL funds have built up for an extended period of time whilst no one has been able to apply for them. The Head of Finance informed the Committee that a CIL Spending Protocol has been agreed by the Licensing and Planning Policy Committee in January 2024, which sets up how the funds can be spent going forward. The Member asked why the old framework was not employed whilst the new spending protocol was written. The Chair responded to explain that there were some issues with the old protocol that had to be resolved and have since been by the new approved spending protocol. The Chair informed the Committee that Councillors are able to bid on the Community Neighbourhood Fund. The Chief Accountant confirmed that the strategic infrastructure fund is for major infrastructure schemes and there is a lot of legislation around how CIL fund can be spent.

d)            CIL Working Group. A Member of the Committee asked who is involved in selecting and approving CIL bids. The Chief Accountant encouraged the Committee to consult the recently approved CIL spending protocol, which sets out how the funds will be agreed for use. The Democratic Services Officer informed the Committee that the Membership of the CIL Working Group is set out in CIL spending protocol document.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Receive the capital monitoring position at Quarter 3, as set out in the report.