Agenda item

Members of the Committee are requested to bring their copy of the agenda for the Executive meeting on 15^th June 2016.

Report CSD 16080

The Committee considered the following reports on the part 1 agenda for the Executive’s meeting on 15^th June 2016.

(5)  Provisional Final Accounts 2015/16

Report FSD16040

The report set out the 2015/16 provisional outturn at Portfolio level and Council-wide, and summarised the implications for 2016/17. More detailed reports would be submitted to individual PDS Committees. The report contained various recommendations concerning carry-forwards, central Contingency and Prior Year Adjustments, and a recommendation that Council should approve the transfer of £7,024k to the Growth Fund.

A Member suggested that the money proposed to be transferred to the Growth Fund should be used to support service budgets, but other Members supported using the Growth Fund to invest for the future. A Member commented on the excess of income over expenditure – what he referred to as profit. Officers responded that it was necessary to reduce costs, generate savings across all budgets, and if possible to take these savings early. A Member commented that although savings were being achieved the adverse effect on services was not being recognised and staff morale was declining in many services.

The Chairman of the Contracts Sub-Committee, Councillor Stephen Wells, commended the proposal to build a contracts database. 

RESOLVED that the recommendations be supported.

(Councillors Vanessa Allen, David Livett and Angela Wilkins requested that their contrary votes be recorded.)

(6)  Capital Programme Outturn 2015/16

Report FSD 16036

The report set out the final outturn on capital expenditure and receipts for 2015/16. The Executive was requested carry forward £8k of the unspent capital budget on the block provision for emergency works to surplus sites.

RESOLVED that the recommendations be supported.

(7)  Biggin Hill Airport LTD (BHAL) – Proposal to Vary the Operating Hours 

Report DRR16/057

Biggin Hill Airport Ltd (BHAL) had responded to the various conditions stipulated by the Council before the operating hours of the Airport could be varied. The Executive was recommended to confirm that the Council’s conditions had been met, to agree that a Deed of Variation be entered into and to agree that any sum received to reimburse the Council for its costs would be ring-fenced for any potential future costs for increased monitoring. 

Under the terms of the lease, the Airport had to meet the reasonable and proportionate costs of its application to change the lease, and the Airport had stated that it was their intention to do so. The Chairman stated that it was important that there was no delay in payment being made. Costs included payments to consultants and counsel, but were primarily staff costs. Councillor David Livett requested officers to explain exactly how these expenses had been provided for in the accounts.

The Committee was given an update on the judicial review proceedings that had been started in the High Court in Manchester. The matter had now been transferred to the High Court in London, but it was not anticipated that it would be possible for the case to continue.

Members discussed the position breaches of the Airport’s operating rules. The Airport was responsible for pursuing aircraft operators who broke the rules, but some Members suggested that the Council should be able to pursue payments from the Airport where breaches occurred. The Committee was advised that this would not be reasonable. 

The Chairman suggested that the agreement needed to be more explicit that helicopters were included within the calculation of the cap on the number of aircraft movements. A Member commented that section 7 of the agreement on the limit of 50,000 movements was vague, and sought clarification of what precisely “the Council” meant in this context. It was confirmed that this would be the relevant part of the Member structure responsible for issues concerning the Airport – this was the Executive under the Council’s current constitution. 

A Member suggested that the Safety and Noise Review Board should include at least two independent people.

RESOLVED that the recommendations be supported and the Executive be requested to consider the comments made by the Committee.