Agenda item

2nd Quarter Budget Monitoring Report

Minutes:

The Head of Finance gave a presentation to the Committee relating to capital and revenue budgets and outturn within the Committee’s remit for the second quarter of 2017/18. The Committee used the debate to discuss the reference from Policy and Resources Committee (Agenda Item 13).

 

Councillor Perry addressed the Committee on this item.

 

It was noted that:

 

·  Pay and display car parks continued to perform overall above budgeted income and projected a positive year end variance of £241,000 for 2017/18.

 

·  A £200,000 adverse variance was projected for development control appeals for 2017/18. There were several inquiries that were expected to take place this year, which could lead to the authority incurring significant costs. As the appeals were likely to continue into the next financial year significant costs could be incurred then too.

 

·  The projected overspend on development control appeal costs was reported to the Policy and Resources Committee at its meeting held on 20 September 2017. At that meeting, the Policy and Resources Committee requested that both this Committee and the Planning Committee consider how they could manage these costs.

 

·  Both this Committee and the Planning Committee had a role in managing the cost of planning appeals. Firstly, to reduce the risk of appeals, this Committee’s role was to set a coherent and robust framework for planning decisions. Secondly, this Committee could ensure that the process of dealing with appeals was carried out in a cost effective manner, by overseeing development management and enforcement.

 

The Committee were concerned that:

 

·  There was not enough detail about the development control appeals budget; and

 

·  Development control appeals had been under budgeted in previous years.

 

Therefore, it was requested that a report be brought back to this Committee outlining the current and projected appeal costs in detail and historical data for the last five years, in order that the Committee could fully understand underlying causes and trends.

 

The Committee considered Member engagement in pre-application discussions and requested that a full report outlining the process be brought back to this Committee, as concerns had been raised that this process was not being adhered to.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.  That the revenue position at the end of the second quarter and the actions being taken or proposed to improve the position where significant variances have been identified be noted.

 

2.  That the position with the capital programme be noted.

 

3.  That the risk of future costs arising from development control appeals be noted.

 

Voting: Unanimous

 

4.  That a report be prepared setting out the current and projected appeal costs in detail so that the Committee can fully understand and appreciate the underlying causes and trends including historical data for the last five years.

 

Voting: Unanimous

 

5.  That a report be brought back to this Committee outlining the process for Member engagement in pre application discussions and a summary of how this was currently being adhered to.

 

Voting: Unanimous

 

Note: Councillor Wilby left the room before the voting of resolution number 5, but returned before the consideration of the next item.

 

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