Issue - meetings

To submit a report by the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer.

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer setting out the financial performance of the Capital Budget at the end of Quarter 3 of the 2023/2024 financial year was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

Councillor Robin Williams, Portfolio Member for Finance reported that

It was RESOLVED:-

·       To note the progress of expenditure and receipts against the capital budget 2023/2024 at Quarter 3;

·       To approve the additional schemes amounting to £9.396m to the capital programme and amendments to funding as per Appendix C, which will result in a revised capital budget of £62,095m for 2023/2024;

·       That the Leader of the Council formally writes to Welsh Government expressing the Council’s disappointment that two grant funding towards Additional Learning Needs is expected to be repaid due to work not being able to being carried out as per the terms and conditions of the grant due to need to prioritising the RACC issues at Holyhead High School and the capacity of the ALN team.

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer setting out the financial performance of the Capital Budget at the end of Quarter 3 of the 2023/24 financial year was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance reported that the Council approved a capital programme for non-housing services of £24.405m for 2023/2024, and a capital programme of £13.557m for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).  In addition, in June 2023, the Executive approved capital slippage of £13.477m to be brought forward from 2022/2023, bringing the capital programme for non-housing services to £33.532m, and £17.907m for the HRA.  Since the budget setting process, there have been additional schemes added onto the programme, most of which are grant funded, and some amending of funding, which amounted to £9.396m.  There has also been Executive approval of additional £1.26m for an HRA scheme.  This brings the total capital budget for 2023/2024 to £62.095m which was set out in Table 1.2 of the report.  The profiled budget at the end of Quarter 3 was £31.115m whereas the actual expenditure is £30.790m.  He noted that any projected that has slipped from this year will be transferred to the next financial year.

The Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer reported that two Welsh Government grant funded projects in respect of Additional Learning Needs are expected to be repaid due to work not being able to being carried out as per the terms and conditions of the grant due to the need in prioritising the RAAC issues at Holyhead High School and the capacity of the Property team.  He noted that discussions have been conducted with Welsh Government to allow the two grant funding projects to be transferred to the next financial year but no agreement has been achieved at present.  The Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer further said that it is foreseen that there will be £9.2m underspend but £5.8m is due to the Levelling Up projects in Holyhead which have slipped into the next financial year. 

Members of the Executive expressed disappointment that the two-grant funding by Welsh Government towards Additional Learning Needs is expected to be repaid as this Authority has had to deal with RAAC issues within schools.  The Leader said that she would formally write to Welsh Government on behalf of the Portfolio Member for Finance and Portfolio Member for Education, Skills and Young People to express disappointment that the grant funding is expected to be repaid and requesting an extension to the grant conditions deadline.

It was RESOLVED:-

·                To note the progress of expenditure and receipts against the capital budget 2023/2024 at Quarter 3;

·                To approve the additional schemes amounting to £9.396m to the capital programme and amendments to funding as per Appendix C, which will result in a revised capital budget of £62,095m for 2023/2024;

·                That the Leader of the Council formally writes to Welsh Government to request an extension to the grant condition deadline.