Agenda and minutes

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet Member held on 20^th October, 2009 be signed as a true record.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the Town Centre Events Group held on 26^th October, 2009.

Resolved:- That the minutes held on 26^th October, 2009 be received.

The Cabinet Member for Cultural Services and Sport was to seek information as to whether a further nomination to the Archaeology South Yorkshire Service was required.

Resolved:-  That the position with regards to a nomination to the Archaeology South Yorkshire Service would be reported in due course.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Dawn Roebuck, Senior Accountant, which detailed the performance against the revenue budget for the Environment and Development Services Directorate as at the end of September, 2009 and to provide a forecast outturn for the whole of the 2009/10 financial year.

The report reflected the position against budget for the period 1st April, 2009 to 30^th September, 2009 and a summary was provided of the projected 2009/10 revenue position for the Directorate.

The key pressures contributing to this position of relevance were within Sports and Recreation total (£60k) and included arrears of costs at pools (£15k) and solicitor costs (£18k).

Additionally, unbudgeted security costs at Ulley Reservoir (£27k) have previously been reported.  Culture and Heritage have a forecast net under spend of £12k-.  There were savings of (£3k-) in Museums and Libraries Management due to staff vacancies and savings within Libraries (£4k-).  The Service was continuing to work on achieving savings offered as part of setting the budget for 2009/10.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the current forecast year end outturn position of an overspend of £620,000 for the Environment and Development Services Directorate based on expenditure and income as at September, 2009 be noted.

(2)  That this report be referred to the Regeneration Scrutiny Panel for information.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Dawn Roebuck, Senior Accountant, which detailed performance against the approved Environment and Development Services Directorate’s capital programme for the period April to September, 2009.

This was the second report of Capital Monitoring for Environment and Development Services for 2009/10.  At this point in the financial year the Environment and Development Services Directorate was reporting a capital programme which showed a balanced budget for the year end against its total approved capital budget of £61,315,030 for 2009/10.

There were a variety of schemes included in the Culture and Leisure block totalling £11.396 million.  Work continued to progress at Clifton Park and Boston Park.  Play Pathfinder funding had been used for the improvements at the play area within Clifton Park which opened during Summer, 2009.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the projected outturn position, as balanced for the Environment and Development Services Capital Programme, based on actual expenditure to September, 2009 and forecast expenditure to 31st March, 2010 be noted.

(2)  That this report be referred to the Regeneration Scrutiny Panel for information.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Phil Gill, Green Spaces Manager, which detailed a request that had been received from residents living at numbers 28, 33 and 35 Thorpefield Close, Thorpe Hesley, to purchase small areas of green space to the rear of their properties to help deal with existing problems of nuisance.

The site was of very little public amenity value and it was, therefore, concluded that the proposed sale of the land would not have an adverse impact on the quality of life for local people.  The proposed new boundary was aligned to maintain adequate sightlines for users of an existing footpath.  The Asset Management Service have been fully involved throughout and has confirmed that this would be an appropriate way of dealing with the matter.  Subject to the site being declared surplus, Asset Management would then take the matter forward, including taking it to Cabinet for approval to dispose of the land.

As the land in question was public open space, any proposal to dispose of it must be publicised, under Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972, in a newspaper circulating in the area and any objections considered.   Proposed change of use of the land to gardens would be subject to planning consent and the purchasers of the land would be responsible for applying for such consent.

Resolved:- That the land to the rear of numbers 23, 33 and 35 Thorpefield Close, Thorpe Hesley be declared surplus to requirements to enable its sale to the occupiers of adjacent properties and the matter be taken forward.

The Cabinet Member, together with officers, discussed the situation with regards to Clifton Park and UCS Civils Ltd. with a view to taking forward up-to-date information to the Clifton Park Project Board on Friday, 13^th November, 2009.