Decision details

The Director for Corporate Services submitted a report to submit requests for approval of this Committee under Financial Procedure Rules and to provide information on amounts approved under delegated powers and to report the impact of these on the Council’s reserves and balances.

The Chair highlighted recommendation 2.4 and explained that a supplementary estimate of £5.5k was required for the winding down costs of the Wheels to Work scheme as the funding from Leicestershire County Council had been withdrawn. The £5.5k would be spent on redundancies and pensions. The Chair also explained that in future due to changes being considered recommendations such as 2.5 and 2.6 would potentially no longer be necessary as they would not come to this committee.

(Councillor Greenow here declared an interest in leisure vision and left the room whilst the discussion took place.)

A Member drew attention to paragraph 3.6 “Members should note that the current funding assumed external funding from the Football Foundation (FF), although it has always been made clear that there was a risk that this funding may not be received” and asked if any funding had been received from the Football Foundation. He raised concerns because he understood a lease had been signed on the presumption that it would create access to the grants. The Member was unhappy as it appears a lease had been signed and land given away but no funding has been received.

The Director for Corporate Services explained that there were two levels of funding for two stages of the project. The funding was received to enable the first level and a second round of funding was pursued which has not been successful. The previous report advising members about this funding clearly stated that the funding for the second level may not be received. It was further explained that the detailed circumstances regarding the lease would be provided after the meeting to the relevant member. 

The Chief Executive explained that a feasibility study for the site had been commissioned to see if it is commercially viable and a report will be brought back to Members in the coming months. The Member was happy with this.

Another Member explained that the lease with the Football Foundation is for 23 years with 2 years free and he wanted to ensure that they are invoiced for full payment.

The recommendations were moved by Councillor Orson and Councillor Hutchison seconded.

All Members were unanimously in favour.

(Councillor Greenow here re-entered the meeting.)

RESOLVED that:

1) the virements approved under delegated powers be noted.

2) the supplementary estimates approved under delegated powers to be funded from budget reductions be noted.

3) the budget reductions approved under delegated powers be noted.

4) the Leader and Chief Executive approved outside this meeting the request from the Community and Social Affairs Committee to approve a supplementary estimate of £5.5k from the Corporate Priorities Reserve, to cover the winding down costs of the Wheels to Work Scheme with delegated authority given to the Director for Corporate Services to vary the amount depending on the outcome of the final offer from the County towards these costs and a further supplementary estimate to cover the costs of any redundancies and pension strain as a result of changes to the approved structure should sufficient funding not be available from budget savings elsewhere, as outlined in paragraph 6.1, be noted.

5) the request from the Community and Social Affairs Committee to amend the financing of the Warm Homes Grant be approved.

6) the request from the Community and Social Affairs Committee to amend the source of funding for the leisure vision from external funding to leisure vision capital receipts, as outlined in paragraph 6.3 be approved.