Agenda item

Report of the Cabinet Member Finance

The Cabinet Member Finance introduced the report which outlined the progress made in developing the Council’s Asset Management Plan and Capital Strategy and made some initial proposals at this stage.

He reminded Members that the significant capital receipt generated from the sale of North Place and Portland Street car parks gave the Council an unrepeatable opportunity to invest in the infrastructure in the town and it was important that the funds were used carefully in order to have a long-term impact. The Asset Management Plan and Capital Strategy would propose how these receipts would be used and set a continuing framework for capital investment.

The Cabinet Member Finance explained that there was a robust system for evaluating capital bids and establishing priorities against the corporate plan. He reported that the Asset Management Working Group (AMWG) and the Budget Scrutiny Working Group (BSWG) as well as the Cheltenham Trust were also involved in the process. In the context of the Cheltenham Trust he reported that the Trust had already set up a committee to look at capital investment.

The Cabinet Member explained that capital projects relating to the High Street public realm improvement works, car park investment and the town hall chairs were being proposed now for approval as they all had a degree of urgency about them. The Cabinet Member confirmed that BSWG and AMWG had appraised the projects at recent meetings and given positive feedback.

In terms of capital investment in the high street the Cabinet Member explained that the council was working with the Cheltenham Development Task Force to unlock potential growth in the town. They were looking at the High Street as a whole in terms of opportunities to improve the environment and boost it as a commercial area which would help tackle a number of priorities. In so doing there was also scope for attracting private sector investment. The proposed investment of £450 000 in public realm and £111 000 in design work would facilitate works in key areas of the high street. By pooling resources with business and Gloucestershire highways there would be a degree of unity in enhancing the area.

The Cabinet Member brought to Members attention an amendment to the cost of the work for replacing the town hall chairs which now stood at £84 500. Recommendation 2 of the report now read “bringing the total funding of projects to £896 200”.

Responses to questions were given as follows :

·         Accommodation strategy - officers were continuing to investigate opportunities and there was currently interest in two properties in the town. Broad costings had been made for new build offices on the Shopfitters site but in the Cabinet Member’s view a move to existing office accommodation rather than new build would be more cost-effective and could be realised much quicker. Work would continue and the Asset Management Working group would be kept fully informed. All Members would be kept informed of any new developments.

·         High Street paving - it was acknowledged that this was in a poor state but working together with highways and the private sector would deliver paving and other infrastructure to a higher standard.

·         Pavement maintenance outside the town centre - some Members felt that the focus of the highways pavements budget was on the town centre and this was having an impact in the wards where no money had been spent on resurfacing complete pavements since 2010. The Cabinet Member reported that the County Council had a town centre specific budget so it did not meant that the entire pavement budget was being spent solely in the town centre.

·         Deliverability of the planned maintenance budget - it was acknowledged that the property and maintenance team were under resourced but this was a temporary issue and would be addressed. There was confidence therefore that the town’s leisure and cultural facilities, now operated by the Cheltenham Trust, would be adequately maintained and supported and they could therefore deliver the savings identified.

·         Car park investment - it was recognised that much of the equipment was outdated and was starting to fail with the council actually losing income. A detailed breakdown of investment by car park as a result would be provided to the Member.

·         Boots Corner - pressure was being put on the County Council to expedite this project. The TRO consultation would end at the end of October with the TRO Committee due to meet 15 January 2015. It was acknowledged that there was a lack of resource to facilitate TROs. The High Street remedial work had started based on the analysis work.

·         County highways contract - it was acknowledged that the contract with Amey was not working to its full potential and colleagues were therefore urged to voice their concerns with the county council.

·         Cemetery and Crematorium - The Cabinet Member Clean and Green Environment said that he had been open about the difficulties at the crematorium. Lessons had been learned and there was an ongoing options appraisal which was not yet concluded. He would be involving the Cabinet Member working group in the process. It was therefore premature to consider building a new facility. At this stage it was important to keep existing equipment in a functioning stage and the project appraisal would bring forward a more ambitious scheme. He was confident that a service the town expects would continue to be delivered.

RESOLVED (unanimously)THAT

1.    The principles on which the new Asset Management Plan and Capital Strategy will be based and the methodology for prioritising capital projects, as outlined in sections 2 and 3 be approved.

2.    The funding of the projects outlined in paragraphs 4.2 to 4.4 totalling £896 200 be funded from capital receipts.