Issue - meetings

Report FSD16072

The Renewal and Recreation Portfolio Holder introduced a report setting out the budget monitoring position for the Renewal and Recreation Portfolio based on expenditure to the end of September 2016. 

The total budget was forecast to be in an underspend position of £28k following underspends of £50k and £9k respectively across the Building Control and Land Charges services which was primarily due to staff vacancies and a reduction in hours worked.  Additional income of £225k was projected within the Planning Service, of which £145k had been used to fund additional temporary planning posts to support the increased volume of work from a rise in planning applications and to deal with planning enforcement.  Extra costs of £110k had been incurred for specialist consultancy advice on planning applications for agriculture and ecology matters as well as for planning appeals, and the overall projection for the Planning Service was an overspend of £30k.

In considering the report, a Member suggested that the temporary planning posts within the Planning Service be made permanent, should the increased volume of planning applications be sustained in the longer term.  The Assistant Director: Leisure and Culture advised Members that the Chief Planner would be monitoring work levels closely to identify if it would be appropriate to employ additional planning staff on a permanent basis.  A Member noted the benefit of Planning Officers being employed on a longer term or permanent basis as this supported the development of local knowledge.

In response to a question from a Member, the Assistant Director: Leisure and Culture confirmed that at its meeting on 18^th October 2016, the Council’s Executive had agreed a drawdown of £250k from Central Contingency for the libraries service, as the savings of £250k per annum for the service could not be realised until the procurement process for the library service had been completed. 

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to endorse the latest 2016/17 budget projection for the Renewal and Recreation Portfolio.