Agenda item

To receive the Leader’s report on the work of the Executive since the Council meeting held on 12 July 2023.

Council is asked to resolve a recommendation in respect of:

·       Revenue Expenditure Outturn

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Temperton, presented the report on the work

of the Executive since that reported at the Council meeting on 12 July 2023. The

Executive had met once on the 18 July 2023.

The Leader highlighted the following matters that had been considered:

Finance and Business Change | Revenue Expenditure Outturn

·       The outturn revenue expenditure for 2022/23, subject to audit, was £87.06m.

·       This represented an under-spend of £0.506m compared with the approved budget.

·       The Executive approved a budget carry forward of £0.036m.

·       The general reserves balance at 31 March 2023 was £11.077m, with none of the balance required to help fund the 2023/4 revenue budget.

·       Budget carry forwards of £0.036m were approved along with the earmarked reserves and virements relating to the 2022/23.

Finance and Business Change | Capital Expenditure Outturn 2022/23

·       The projected capital programme outturn for 2022/23 of £23.701m, which was 40 per cent of the approved budget of £58.792m. 

·       Carry forwards totalling £34.114m due to underspends were approved. 

·       The council had an overall capital financing requirement of £220.1m as of 31 March 2023. 

·       The actual level of borrowing at the end of March 2023 was £85m with investments of £15.8m, leaving a net debt of £69.2m compared with £36.5m last year.

Planning and Transport | High Street Multi Storey Car Park – Condition

·       The Executive approved the planned closure of High Street Car Park at the end of October 2023 following the recommendation made by structural engineers.

·       The assistant director of property would engage with affected stakeholders.

·       The Executive also approved the plan for savings that would be released into expenditure budgets in the current year from the mid-year closure.

·       This would be used to fund decommissioning work, including putting up hoarding, securing the site, and commissioning pre and post decommissioning structural surveys.

·       The High Street Car Park site would be added to the Bracknell town centre southern gateway site masterplan area. Outline plans would be presented for consideration to the Executive in autumn 2023.

Councillor Barnard asked whether Shop Mobility had been consulted with and what work would be undertaken with them and also asked when the southern gateway site masterplan would be shared with Councillors.

Councillor Temperton confirmed that work was being undertaken with Shop Mobility to ensure that they would be still be accessible and that Councillors would be sighted on the southern gateway site masterplan as soon as it was available and would be able to have an input on the site.

Economic Development and Regeneration | Joint Venture Progress

·       The Executive confirmed it would continue support for the Market Street development and agreed proposed changes to the council’s previously agreed position.

·       Changes included supporting a 10 per cent increase to the council’s 50 per cent contribution to the development costs, due to increased construction costs and rephasing of expenditure.

·       Authority would be delegated to the Assistant Director of Contract Services to enter into an agreement with the Bracknell Forest Cambium Partnership for required off-site car park provision.

·       The Executive Director for Place, Planning and Regeneration would review the council’s current town centre parking standards. They would identify a range of future options to reduce reliance on car usage; promoting the use of more sustainable public and private transport, which aligns with the council’s climate change ambitions.

Adult Services, Health and Housing | Supported Living – Strategic Procurement Plan

·       The Executive approved the strategic procurement plan for an Independence Support and Supported Living service through a flexible framework under the light touch regime as detailed in the strategic procurement plan.

·       Authority was delegated for the Supported Living Flexible Framework award decision to the executive director for people, following consultation with the Executive Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing.

·       The procurement would also ensure the council met its statutory duties of The Care Act 2014, which sets out clear expectations for local authorities.

The report contained recommendations that the Council was asked to resolve in

respect of the following matters:

Revenue Expenditure Outturn

On the proposition of Councillor Neil, Executive Member for Finance and Business Change seconded by Councillor Karim it was RESOLVED that Council note the treasury management performance in 2022/23 as set out in Annex B of the associated report.

Councillor Temperton, Leader of the Council, highlighted some achievements of the administration and since the last Council meeting.

·       The borough’s first ever climate change summit had been hosted. More than 130 people from local schools, businesses, town and parish councils and voluntary and charity organisations joined forces to discuss how to drive down climate change locally.

·       A wide range of support and activities had been promoted to help families throughout the school summer holidays, including the Holiday Activities Fund, cost of living voucher scheme and the Summer of Fun events.

·       The borough’s first Support for Households event was held on the 4 August in Princess Square. It was attended by hundreds of residents and saw 15 partner organisations provide cost of living support.

·       The first Great Wellness Exchange was announced, which would take place throughout September. It would also include Silver Sunday activities to help reduce social isolation.

·       The Council celebrated a milestone in the Binfield Health and Community Centre project when Binfield Surgery relocated into the building on 14 August 2023.

·       A new operator (Age Concern Bracknell Forest) was appointed to run the Buckler’s Park Community Hub. Age Concern Bracknell Forest would offer a range of activities and services to people of all ages once the hub opens later this year.

·       A-level results were in line with national averages while GCSE were above national averages in most subjects.

·       Cycle September was launched to encourage better health and more active travel around the borough.

·       More than £100,000 of grants were awarded to charities, faith groups and voluntary organisations to help local households with the cost of food or energy, including keeping warm over the winter.

·       The first 100 days programme was completed, where low income families were helped to save or receive £51,435 through council tax and welfare support grants. £34,263 was distributed between 122 families for essential and crisis support related to food, energy, and other costs.