Issue - meetings

This report requests Full Council approval for a number of additions and amendments to the Capital Programme as recommended by Cabinet following the Round 1 2020/21 Capital Budget Monitoring Report. The report then requests an amendment to the Capital Programme to deliver additional places for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) at Abbey Court and Bradfields Academy following a recommendation from Cabinet on 25 August.

The report also includes an addition to the Capital Programme to deliver a new 3G floodlit football artificial turf pitch and changing pavilion at Watling Street Playing Fields, following a recommendation from Cabinet on 22 September. Finally, the report requests the Council approve the rents set for the new Housing Revenue Account properties at Ingram Road.

Discussion:

This report provided details of proposed additions and amendments to the Council’s Capital Programme, as recommended by the Cabinet on 25 August 2020, following consideration of the Round 1 2020/21 Capital Budget Monitoring Report. These included the addition of £121,000 to the Children and Adults Capital Programme Management scheme, £3.050million for further works to Strood Riverside Phase 1 and 2, £300,000 for the buyback of Housing Revenue Account properties, the addition of £384,000 to the Mountbatten House Purchase scheme and £3,275,300 under the Flexible Use of Capital Receipts Strategy, to fund a new transformation programme.

Following recommendations made by the Cabinet on 25 August and 22 September 2020, the report also requested an amendment to the Capital Programme to deliver additional places for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) at Abbey Court (£12 million requested) and Bradfields Academy (£4.2 million requested) as well as an addition to the Capital Programme to deliver a new 3G floodlit football artificial turf pitch and changing pavilion at Watling Street Playing Fields (£1,319,976 requested, including a contribution of £400,000 from Medway Council, to be funded from borrowing). Finally, the report requested that Council approved the rents set for the new build properties at Ingram Road that the Council was in the process of purchasing.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Jarrett, supported by the Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Services, Councillor Doe, proposed the recommendations set out in the report.

Decision:

The Council:

a)    Approved the additions and virements to the Capital Programme as set out in sections 3 to 9 of the report.

b)    Approve the rents set for the new HRA properties at Ingram Road as set out in section 10 of the report.

Councillors Browne, Cooper, Howcroft-Scott, Maple, Murray, Osborne, Paterson, Prenter and Price requested that their votes in favour of the decision be recorded in accordance with Council Rule 12.6.

Note: Councillors Bowler, Curry and Rupert Turpin were not present for the vote having declared an interest and left the meeting for the consideration and determination of this item.

Background:

This report presented the results of the first round of the Council’s capital budget monitoring for the financial year 2020/21. The approved capital programme for 2020/21 was £429.681million.

Reasons:

Cabinet has the responsibility to ensure effective budgetary control to contain expenditure within the approved limits set by Council.