Agenda item

The Area Council Manager introduced the item. 

Attention was drawn to the table within the report at Appendix 1 which detailed expenditure that had been agreed, was in the process of being taken forward, and areas where approval had yet to be given, but were those where Members had previously indicated they were keen to see investment.  It was noted that the budget had yet to be formally agreed, but proposals being put forward suggested that the Area Council budget for 2017/18 would be reduced from £500,000 to £450,000 for the year.

The information presented also took into account an amount of income from the contract with Kingdom security, with this projected to decline in the future as residents respond to the continued presence.  However, it was acknowledged that this was difficult to predict and there was a significant time delay from issuing tickets and receiving payment, especially if the matter was referred to court.

Based on the figures supplied, Members noted that in year balances of approximately £62,000 remained in 2017/18, £30,000 in 2018/19, and £13,000 in 2019/20.

The meeting noted that within the financial overview presented, there had been no provision made for any further devolving of funds to the Ward Alliances or towards the family support priority previously agreed.

Members went on to consider proposals related to monies devolved from the Area Council to each Ward Alliance Fund in the area.  Previously £10,000 had been devolved, and attention was drawn to the balances at the start of the current financial year, alongside those remaining unallocated.

The meeting discussed a proposal to return any of the additional £10,000 that had been unspent at the end of the 2016/17 financial year, noting that Ward Alliances would be allocated a further £10,000 of ‘core’ funding for 2017/18.  The meeting discussed the proposal in some detail. The need for public monies to be spent appropriately, and in a timely way, in order to address the needs identified within each Ward was noted. However, it was also noted that when deadlines such as the end of the financial year were imposed, this could provide an unnecessary barrier to in taking forward some worthwhile projects, especially when they were reliant on other agencies which may be prone to delays.   In order to take account of this, it was agreed that any of the £10,000 devolved to Ward Alliance Funds not spent by 31^st July, 2016 be returned to the Area Council.

In light of the discussion, it was agreed that any further discussion on devolving of Area Council funds to Ward Alliance Funds in 2017/18 be deferred to a future meeting.

RESOLVED:-

(i)        That the financial position for 2017/18-2019/20  based on Central Area Council’s existing commitments, and any procurements, SLAs and programmes agreed in principle and currently in development be noted;

(ii)       That the proposal for return of monies devolved from Central Area Council to the five Ward Alliances in the area, should it not be spent by 31^st July, 2016, be approved; and

(iii)      That the discussion of any further devolving of the Area Council budget to Ward Alliance Funds in 2017/18 be deferred to a future meeting.