Agenda item

(a)       That the allocations in Table 4 (paragraph 1.04.1) of the Cabinet report for Statutory /Regulatory and Retained Assets sections of the Council Fund Capital Programme 201/20 – 2021/22 be approved;

(b)       That the schemes included in Table 5 (paragraph 1.05.1) of the Cabinet report for the Investment section of the Council Fund Capital Programme 2019/20 – 2021/22 be approved;

(c)        That the shortfall in funding of schemes in financial years 2019/20 and 2020/21 (paragraphs 1.06.1) as set out in the Cabinet report be noted.  Options including a combination of future capital receipts, alternative grants (if available), prudential borrowing or the re-phasing of schemes will be considered during 2019/20, and updates provided to Members in future capital programme monitoring reports.

(d)       That the schemes included in Table 7 (paragraph 1.07.04) of the Cabinet report for the specifically funded section of the Council Fund Capital Programme which will be funded in part through Prudential Borrowing, be approved

The Chief Officer (Housing and Assets) introduced the report to approve schemes for inclusion within the Capital Programme over the 3 year period 2019/20 – 2021/22. 

The Chief Officer provided background information and presented the main considerations, as detailed in the report, on developing the capital programme 2019/20 and 2021/22.   He referred to the £8.216m shortfall in Table 1 - estimated funding 2018/19 – 2020/19, £1.428m shortfall in Table 2 estimated funding 2018/19 – 2020/21, and £26.740m estimated available funding 2019/20 – 2021/22. 

The Chief Officer also referred to the General Capital Programme 2019/20 – 2021/22 and statutory/regulatory and retained asset allocations 2019/20 – 2021/22.  He reported on the proposed allocations 2019/20 and 2021/22 as detailed in Table 4, the proposed investment schemes 2019/20 – 2021/22 as detailed in Table 5, and the summary (generally funded) capital programme 2019/20 – 2021/22 as detailed in Table 6 of the report which indicated a current shortfall of £0.374m.

 Referring to specific grants and borrowing, the Chief Officer reported on the 21 Century Schools Band B programme, and the Strategic Housing and Regeneration Programme (SHARP) loans to NEW Homes for affordable homes.  The cost of the specifically funded schemes 2019/20 – 2021/22 were detailed in Table 7 of the report.  He also reported on the summary total Council Fund Capital Programme 2019/20 – 2021/22 and advised that the total proposals for the Capital Programme were as detailed in Table 9.   In conclusion the Chief Officer reported on potential future schemes as detailed in the report. 

Councillor Patrick Heesom suggested that consideration be given to disposing of Theatr Clwyd to release funding to assist budget savings for the Authority.  The Chief Executive explained that a feasibility study was currently being undertaken to consider an alternative model in the future which could further reduce the subsidy. He advised that provincial theatres could not operate without a form of public subsidy: the options were status quo, an alternative model which was more cost effective, or eventual closure.

Councillor Aaron Shotton thanked the Chief Officer and his team for their work on the Capital Programme which he said was a continuation of a 3 year rolling programme with a total investment for infrastructure in county of £49m.  He continued that the total capital investments and infrastructure, including the HRA, was in the region of £83m in the next 3 years.  Councillor Shotton spoke of the significant investment of £3.7m in highways improvements in the next 3 years and thanked Councillor Carolyn Thomas for her continued lobbying of the WG to achieve additional funding for this.  He also spoke of the investment in IT provision in schools to provide much needed improvement regarding connectivity, the continuation of a commitment to fund the completion of work schemes at Castell Alun High School, Ysgol Glan Aber and Connah’s Quay High School, and improvements to the Pupil Referral Unit at Plas Derwen.  In addition Councillor Shotton said that the Authority would continue with its ambitions and commitment to address risks, as identified in the risk register presented to the recent meeting of the Audit Committee, and cited as an example the need to address bed capacity in residential nursing home care which had been met through an extension to Marleyfield House, Buckley, to provide additional beds.  In conclusion Councillor Shotton referred to the £672k commitment to play areas and artificial sports pitches and referred to the replacement of the artificial sports pitch at the Elfed High School, Buckley, as an example.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the allocations in Table 4 (paragraph 1.04.1) of the Cabinet report for Statutory /Regulatory and Retained Assets sections of the Council Fund Capital Programme 201/20 – 2021/22 be approved;

(b)       That the schemes included in Table 5 (paragraph 1.05.1) of the Cabinet report for the Investment section of the Council Fund Capital Programme 2019/20 – 2021/22 be approved;

(c)        That the shortfall in funding of schemes in financial years 2019/20 and 2020/21 (paragraphs 1.06.1) as set out in the Cabinet report be noted.  Options including a combination of future capital receipts, alternative grants (if available), prudential borrowing or the re-phasing of schemes will be considered during 2019/20, and updates provided to Members in future capital programme monitoring reports.

(d)       That the schemes included in Table 7 (paragraph 1.07.04) of the Cabinet report for the specifically funded section of the Council Fund Capital Programme which will be funded in part through Prudential Borrowing, be approved