Agenda item

Joint Report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Open Spaces.

Members considered item 6 next, a joint report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Open Spaces regarding Revenue and Capital Budgets for 2017/18 and 2018/19 and the following points were made.

·         The Chamberlain noted that the increased figure for cyclical works outlined within the report was subject to approval by the Policy and Resources Committee at its meeting in January 2018.

·         A Member noted that the latest revenue budget for 2017/18 should be considered as a proposed budget and not as a ‘latest approved budget’ as described within the report. Moreover, the Member noted that it would be better practice for the two budgets for 2017/18 and 208/19 to be presented to Members as two distinct reports. The Chamberlain agreed to feed this back to the Finance Committee, under whose remit the current format of reporting had been agreed.

·         In response to a comment from a Member, the Chamberlain noted that the charity accounts would be reported to Members in February 2018.

·         In response to a question from a Member, the Superintendent replied that the Hive was a proposed education space that was currently at Gateway 1/2 in the City’s project process. The project was temporarily on hold as unforeseen costs had been identified thanks to the fact that the building originally intended for the Hive needed to have its roof strengthened so it could bear solar panels. Officers were therefore considering whether other built assets on the Heath could house the Hive instead.

·         The Chairman noted that the potential for the Hive, once completed, the generate income would be considered in the forthcoming Hampstead Heath Asset Review.

RESOLVED, that Members

·           Note the provisional 2018/19 revenue budget and confirm that it reflects the Committee’s objectives.

·           Approve the budget for submission to the Finance Committee;

·           Authorise the Chamberlain, in consultation with the Director of Open Spaces, to revise these budgets to allow for any further implications arising from Corporate Projects, departmental reorganisations and other reviews, and changes to the Additional Works Programme, and note that any changes over £50,000 will be reported to Committee.

·           Note the Building Repairs and Maintenance asset verification exercise being undertaken by the City Surveyor and agree that any minor changes to the 2017/18 latest approved budget and the 2018/19 original budget arising from this exercise be delegated to the Chamberlain.

·           Approve the draft capital and supplementary revenue budget.