Agenda and minutes

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet Member, Education, Culture and Leisure Services held on 25^th May and 8^th June, 2004 be received.

Consideration was given to a report of the Acting Executive Director relating to the 2003/04 Revenue Outturn position for the Education, Culture and Leisure Services Programme Area, and to note the requests for budget carry- forward into financial year 2004/2005.

The net revenue Outturn for the Programme Area (excluding Schools) is £37,145,265 against an approved budget of £37,945,498;  a net underspend of £800,233.

The Programme Area will however request the carry-forward of unspent match funding for Standards Fund (£808,233) as this has a spending deadline set by the DfES of 31/08/04, and also the carry-forward of a net operating surplus on services traded with schools (£1,031);  this being consistent with practice in previous years.

The post earmarked carry-forward variation for the Programme Area would therefore become £8,855 overspend against its annual budget (+0.0002%).    This is the closest to budget ever achieved.

Additionally, a request is included to carry-forward the unspent Education budget (£34,387) to contribute towards the Contingency for Schools facing Financial Difficulty as this contingency is oversubscribed by £66,500 in 2004./05 as a result of implementing the DfES Minimum Funding Guarantee directive.

Appendices A-C detailed the principal factors of the budgetary position.

It was noted that a more detailed report would be submitted to a future meeting regarding delegated balances within schools.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the report be received and the situation noted.

(2)                 That a recommendation to the Corporate Management Team and Cabinet to approve the carry forward requests contained within the report, as submitted, be supported.

(3)                 That a meeting with RBT be pursued as a matter of urgency regarding issues raised on trading income budgets.

(4)  That the thanks of Members be conveyed to all staff involved in the financial management and accounts preparation in appreciation of a positive outturn report.

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 8 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (the report contains information relating to the amount of expenditure proposed to be incurred by the authority under any particular contract).

Consideration was given to a report of the Manager, Libraries, Museums and Arts on the need to instigate legal action to allow repairs to be carried out to the Walker Mausoleum.

Legal action is necessary to establish the Council’s rights and obligations and to ensure that works to the Mausoleum to prevent it falling into disrepair can proceed unhindered.

The report gave a detailed background on the matter, together with the financial implications and land ownership issues.

The work has received planning permission and Listed Building consent.

Resolved:-  That the Head of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to send a letter to the current owner of the site reinforcing the Council’s obligations under the 1968 Agreement, and informing of the need for the Council to pursue legal alternatives in the event of a lack of continued co-operation.