Agenda and minutes

Mark Scarrott, Finance Manager, to report.

The Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report which detailed the projected year end outturn position as at 31st July, 2011, for the Neighbourhoods department within the Neighbourhoods and Adult Services Directorate compared to the approved Net Revenue Budget.

The latest position currently showed a projected underspend of £24,000 by the end of March, 2012.

Most services were projecting balanced or near balanced budgets by the year end with the following exceptions:-

Independent Living

Housing Access                                 £11,000 underspend

Housing Choices                                £13,000 underspend

Housing and Neighbourhood Services 

            Business and Regulation                    £1,000 underspend

            Neighbourhood Investment                Balanced budget

During the budget setting process for 2011/12, savings of £790,000 had been identified and given up from Safer Neighbourhoods, Business Regulation and Neighbourhood Partnership services.  These were on target to be achieved.

To date there was no spend on either Agency or Consultancy within Neighbourhoods.

Resolved:- That the report be received and noted.

Consideration was given to a report which set out details of the progress on the 2011/12 Housing Investment Programme (HIP) and Non HIP Capital Schemes for the period to 31^st July, 2011. 

The 2011/12 HIP was approved with a total programmed spend of £21,166,243, which had been uplifted to £21,305,243 to reflect additional resources now available for aids and adaptations.

It had been drawn up in the anticipation that the 2010/11 Programme would be delivered on budget and that resources available in that year would be fully utilised and prudential borrowing in excess of £5M would be drawn down as part of the resources used.

However, spending within the 2010/11 was below Programme primarily within the HCA New Build and Private Sector Regeneration which had led to a substantial underspend of £3.663M.  The underspend was a result of slippage in programmed works due to adverse weather conditions during November-January.

The slippage identified was now resulting in a forecast overspend of £2.185M on the original Programme level for 2011/12.  However, the resources not drawn down in 2010/11 were, in the main, still available to be carried forward into 2011/12, which would result in a revised Programme of £23,490M, in line with forecast spend.

The report provided an overview of progress to date on the main spending heads within the HIP Programme.

The Programme was forecast to outturn on target.

Resolved:- (1)  That the contents of the report be noted.

(2)  That the relevant Ward Councillors be kept informed of progress with regard to the Fitzwilliam Estate District Heating Scheme.

The Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services reported on the Housing Revenue Account which, to the end of July, 2011, was projected to outturn on budget with a transfer to Working Balance (HRA reserves) of £4.786M, this being £262,000 higher than the budget position.

The report provided details of:-

-        the Budget Operating Statement

-        items of income and expenditure charged to the HRA

-        30 year Business Plan

-        projected outturn on the various budget heads

-        expenditure/commitments to date including major changes

-        income

-        net operating expenditure

-        appropriations

Resolved:-  That the report be noted.

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in those paragraphs, indicated below, of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

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 2 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (information likely to reveal the identity of an individual)).

(Exempt under Paragraph 2 of the Act - (information likely to reveal the identity of an individual))

It was noted that a meeting of a Complaints Panel held been held on 15th July, 2011, comprising Councillors Atkin (in the Chair), Ellis and Whysall.  The Panel heard a complaint received from Mr.  H. relating to the disrepair of his drive and pathway and the problems associated with low water pressure in the property.

The Panel had not upheld the complaint with regard to the drive but had recommended that a joint site visit with Council Officers and representatives of the Yorkshire Water Authority take place to measure the water pressure to the property.

It was noted that a site visit had taken place and the water pressure found to drop significantly when the next door neighbour ran their water.  Costings were now been sought for the renewal of the water supply.

Resolved:-  That the Panel’s findings be noted.