Agenda item

(i)         That the County Council approve the recommendations of the Cabinet from its meeting held on 19 February 2013 as set out in Appendix 1 of the report to Cabinet attached to the Council report subject to the amended Appendix 2 of Appendix ‘A’ for 2013/14; and

(ii)        That an additional recommendation be included that Cabinet periodically reviews the confirmation of capital receipts from the disposal of the assets, and authorises expenditure over 80% and up to 100% of the revised service allocations within the Capital Programme, in-year, according to confirmed capital availability. 

The Chief Executive and Head of Finance jointly presented a report which provided Members with the recommendations of the Cabinet for the Council Fund Capital Programme 2013/14 to 2022/23. 

                        The Chief Executive and Head of Finance gave a joint presentation and commented upon the following areas:-

• Member consideration of capital
• Local and national context
• Key issues from Scrutiny
• 2013/14 Programme (All funding)
• Indicative General Funding (post final settlement)
• Summary

Councillor A.P. Shotton, the Leader of the Council submitted amended recommendations to those detailed in the report and an amended appendix 2 which supported the amendment and which included alternative proposals for Renewable Energy Installations, School Buildings Repairs and Maintenance, ICT infrastructure, capital receipts and unallocated – (Headroom))/Under Financing.  The proposals were seconded.   

Councillor A.M. Halford queried the value of the key site land which had been sold and how it impacted on the budget.  The Chief Executive explained that he was unable to provide the information requested in a public meeting as it was commercially sensitive and negotiations with a third party were in final stages. 

In response to a query from Councillor P.G. Heesom on whether the provision of £0.025m for Clwyd Theatr Cymru was in addition to the £1m it already received, the Chief Executive explained that the £0.025m was an allocation for capital funding for repairs, whereas the £1m was the annual revenue support. 

Councillor R.J.T. Guest put forward an amendment to the proposals which was circulated to Members.  His proposal was to (1) increase the sum allocated for School Buildings Maintenance and Repair by £0.205m and decrease the sum allocated for Renewable Energy Installations from £0.350m by £0.100m and decreasing the sum allocated for ICT Infrastructure from £0.200m by £0.105m, (2) that the provision in Clause 4.1 of the report to limit capital spend on core allocations to 80% of the amount shown, pending certainty on capital receipts, should not apply to Schools Building Repairs and Maintenance.  He raised concern at the late changes put forward by the Leader which almost mirrored the proposals he was suggesting.  He felt that the issue of school maintenance would receive support across the chamber. The amended proposals were also seconded.   

In summing up, Councillor Shotton, the Leader of the Council, raised concern at the suggestion to ring fence the area of School repairs and maintenance and asked Members to vote against the amendment put forward by Councillor Guest. 

A recorded vote was requested and supported by the requisite ten Members. On being put to the vote, the amendment by Councillor Guest was lost by 37 votes against the proposal and 18 votes for, with no abstentions.  The voting being as follows:-

FOR – THE PROPOSAL BY COUNCILLOR GUEST

Councillors: A. Bragg, C.S. Carver, A. Davies-Cooke, J. Falshaw, V. Gay, R.J.T. Guest, A.M. Halford, H. Isherwood, R.B. Jones, D.I. Mackie, N.M. Matthews, H.J. McGuill, M.J. Peers, N. Phillips, H.G. Roberts, N.R. Steele-Mortimer, W.O. Thomas and A. Woolley

AGAINST – THE PROPOSAL BY COUNCILLOR GUEST

Councillors: A. Aldridge, J.B. Attridge, G. Banks, G.H. Bateman, M. Bateman, R.C. Bithell, H. Brown, D. Butler, D. Cox, P.J. Curtis, R. Davies, A.I. Dunbar, C.A. Ellis, R.G. Hampson, G. Hardcastle, P.G. Heesom, C. Hinds, R. Hughes, J. Johnson, C.M. Jones, K. Jones, S. Jones, C. Legg, R. Lloyd, M. Lowe, R.P. Macfarlane, A. Minshull, W. Mullin, T. Newhouse, I.B. Roberts, L.A. Sharps, A.P. Shotton, P. Shotton, I.R. Smith, C.A. Thomas, S. Williams and D.E. Wisinger

A vote was then taken on substantive motion which was the proposal from Councillor Shotton, the Leader of the Council and was carried. 

            Councillor A. Aldridge commented on the capital funding for the coastal protection works in Flint and asked whether any additional grants were expected.  He said that the coastal erosion was significant and thanked Councillor L.A. Sharps for his work on the issue.  Councillor P.G. Heesom, on behalf of the local Member Councillor R. Johnson, welcomed the concern shown by Councillor Aldridge on the flood risk area. 

RESOLVED:

(i)         That the County Council approve the recommendations of the Cabinet from its meeting held on 19 February 2013 as set out in Appendix 1 of the report to Cabinet attached to the Council report subject to the amended Appendix 2 of Appendix ‘A’ for 2013/14; and

(ii)        That an additional recommendation be included that Cabinet periodically reviews the confirmation of capital receipts from the disposal of the assets, and authorises expenditure over 80% and up to 100% of the revised service allocations within the Capital Programme, in-year, according to confirmed capital availability.