Agenda item

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

The Committee received a report comparing the revenue outturn for the services overseen by the Director of Open Spaces in 2014/15 with the final agreed budget for the year. In total, there was a better than budget position of £1.419M for the services overseen by the Committee compared with the final agreed budget for the year.

Members noted that it was proposed to carry forward £437,000 from the Director’s better than budget position of £846,000 (Local Risk) across all Open Spaces. These requests will be considered by the Chamberlain in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Resource Allocation Sub Committee.

The shortfall of £44,000 at the Nursery was partly offset by underspendings elsewhere with £20,000 being transferred to reserve which will be re-couped in future years. The £778,000 underspend with the City Surveyor was mainly due to the re-phasing of the additional works programme over the life of the scheme to meet corporate priorities, the needs of the service, and a longer project lead-in over a longer period. There was also a £225,000 project at Capel Road where work was expected to be undertaken during the prescribed three year window of the additional works programme, but uncertainty remained as the future use of this facility.

Resolved – that the report be received.