Issue - meetings

Report DRR18/1014

The report set out the proposed maintenance budgets and planned programme for 2018/19, requesting additional funding to ensure that the Council had sufficient funds to carry out annual fire risk assessments and any identified remedial works. It also provided an up-date on the lease review that has been undertaken to identify any further costs arising from additional statutory obligations, requested additional funding to ensure that the Council had sufficient funds for the Central Depot Wall reconstruction and outlined the financial implications arising from the expiry of the lease at Yeoman House, Penge.

Councillor Peter Morgan asked when Members would receive a report on the Churchill Theatre. Officers explained that they were looking at a temporary solution that would enable the scaffolding to be removed, as well as a long-term solution, and they hoped to be ready to report in the next few months. Councillor Morgan urged that a report on the temporary solution be brought forward as soon as possible.   

The report had been scrutinised by the Executive and Resources PDS Committee on 21st March 2018. The Committee had supported the recommendations, but had suggested that the Fire Risk assessments should be subject to soft market testing to ensure that the quotations were competitive.

RESOLVED that

(1)  The Building Maintenance budget be increased by £86k for fire risk assessments and cyclical maintenance for the reasons set out in the report which is to be funded from the Council’s 2018/19 Central Contingency.

(2) Funding of up to £79k be approved from the earmarked reserve for Infrastructure Investment to undertake the remedial works identified from the fire risk assessments.

(3)  Overall expenditure of £2,173k for the Building Maintenance budget in 2018/2019 be approved.

(4)  The planned programme in Appendix A to the report be approved.

(5)  Authority be delegated to the Director of Regeneration to vary the programmes to accommodate any change in the approved budget or where such action is considered necessary to either protect the Council’s assets or make the most effective use of resources.

(6) The sum of £163k be carried forward to 2018/19 for the Central Depot Wall.

(7)  Funding of £500k be approved from the earmarked reserve for Infrastructure Investment to add to the sums already set aside for the Central Depot Wall, making a total budget of £716k.

(8)  The Central Depot Wall scheme be added to the 2018/19 capital programme with a total scheme cost of £716k, funded from the £163k carry forward sum and £553k from the earmarked reserve for Infrastructure Investment.

(9)  It is noted that the part year saving of £44k relating to Yeoman House will be returned to the 2018/19 Central Contingency

(10) It is noted that a future report on the maintenance issues for the Churchill Theatre/Central Library will be brought back to Members.