Agenda item

The Committee considered the 2019/20 Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring reports for the Housing, Regeneration, Planning and Leisure and Recreation Services for the period up to the 31^st August, 2019. It was noted that the revenue budget was forecasting a £703k overspend, the capital budget a £169k underspend, whilst the Housing Revenue Account was forecasting a £32k underspend.

The following questions/issues were raised on the report:-

·         Reference was made to the site visits undertaken in May, 2019 to the St Clears Leisure Centre, Y Gat and the Pendine Outdoor Education Centre. An update was requested on any progress achieved since that time on their future development.

The Head of Leisure advised that investigations/reports were currently being undertaken on options for the three venues and would be progressed through the Council’s democratic process in due course.

With regard to the St Clears Leisure Centre, a new operating model was being examined and it was hoped a partnership arrangement could be entered into with the community council. Work in excess of £600k had been identified as being required to upgrade the facility and a capital bid was being prepared for consideration for inclusion within the Council’s five year capital programme. Whilst that bid would, if accepted, fall within year 5 of the programme, it was hoped any variances to the programme could allow it to be brought forward.

The position at Y Gat was that consultations were being undertaken with the Community Council on its future operation. In relation to the Pendine Outdoor Education Centre, several options were being considered and consultations undertaken with schools on the type of facility they would like to see provided.

·         Reference was made to the projected £463k overspend within the Planning Division and clarification sought on what measures were being introduced to address that shortfall, which had been a recurring theme over previous years.

The Development and Built Heritage Manager advised that whilst the projected overspend was significant, the division was aware of a number of pending planning applications the fees from which would assist in its reduction. With regard to addressing the recurring overspend, that was being examined on both a national and local basis. Locally, consideration was being given to introducing a discretionary charging policy which could include a charge for pre-planning advice.

On a national level, a change in legislation in 2015 meant that whilst fees for major schemes such as wind farms were payable to the Welsh Government, the work and associated costs incurred in their determination fell on local authorities. The Welsh Government was currently examining the level of planning fees, which could see an across the board increase, and planning charges being determined on a full cost recovery basis. Representations had also been made to the Welsh Government over a number of years for the introduction of increased fees for retrospective planning applications and charges for enforcement action. However, no timescale had been set for any amendments to the planning fee regime within Wales

·         In response to a question on the £79k increase in anticipated revenue from the Council’s commercial properties that was attributable to higher than anticipated occupation levels countywide with there being a high demand for the units.

·         With regard to the City Deal Project, the current position was that of the Deal’s 11 projects, 3 had been submitted to the U.K. and Welsh Government’s for approval with a further two anticipated to be submitted by the end of the current year.

·         In response to a question on the projected £14k overspend on free swimming for the under 16’s and over 60’s, that related to a reduction in the level of grant received by the authority from Sports Wales. That reduction required the Council to examine the scheme’s operation which could result in a reduction in the available times for access to free swimming.

·         With regard to a question on the £12k overspend in the Policy-Development Planning budget, that related to consultancy work provided by the Forward Planning Unit to other council departments. However, as the majority of the unit’s time was being devoted to the development of the revised Local Development Plan, it did not have the capacity to fulfil its consultancy role resulting in reduced income levels.

·         The Head of Homes and Safer Communities in response to a question on the projected £33k underspend on compensation payments advised that related to compensation paid to tenants when work was undertaken on their homes.

·         With regard to the £737k variance on the Pendine Iconic International Visitors Destination project that related to its re-profiling and was expected to be delivered on time and within budget.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring Report be received.