Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development introduced the report and stated that:

·  There was a £62,000 revenue underspend relating to the Committee’s remit, but that the end of year position was a projected £50,000 overspend. The underspend was mainly due to less planning applications (major) being submitted, with it noted that this would likely change in the next municipal year should the Local Plan be adopted;  

·  The Council had a net overspend of £300,000 for the financial year, and that an overspend of £800,000 was being offset by underspends elsewhere in the budget;

·  Capital expenditure had been minimal, and focused mainly on the development of the Town Centre Strategy;

·  Two Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) had not met their targets, but that these would continue to be monitored; ‘MBC Success rate at planning appeals within a rolling 12-month period’ and ‘Footfall in the town centre’. An additional KPI to monitor empty shop frontages would be created, to ascertain if there were any other contributing factors to the footfall in the town centre.  

In response to a question, the Cabinet Member confirmed that the data used to measure town centre footfall did not provide the reasoning for the visit, such as local or tourist visits, but that where visitors came from could be looked at. As part of the Town Centre Strategy, the Council needed to understand the purpose of people’s visit to the town, so that this could both cater for and attract a greater number of people.

The KPI figures were noted.  

RESOLVED: That the following be noted

1.  The Revenue position as at the end of Quarter 1 for 2023/24, including the actions being taken or proposed to improve the position, where significant variances have been identified;

2.  The Capital position at the end of Quarter 1 for 2023/24;

3.  The Performance position as at Quarter 1 for 2023/24, including the actions being taken or proposed to improve the position, where significant issues have been identified; and

4.  The UK Shared Prosperity Fund update, attached at Appendix 2.