Agenda item

a)  That the expenditure to date from the Community Investment Fund 2019/20 be noted;

b)  That due to the current financial situation within the Slough Children’s Services Trust (SCST) that any unspent revenue funding within the Community Investment Fund 2019/20 is paused until further notice; and

c)  any proposals for minor capital schemes within the Cabinet’s remaining capital funding allocation of the 2019/20 Community Investment Fund.

The Service Lead Finance introduced a report that updated on the Community Investment Fund in 2019/20.

A total of £1.05m had been budgeted for the year with each Member allocated £20,000 capital and £5,000 revenue to support projects in their wards.  There was £634,000 of capital and £157,000 revenue yet to be allocated to projects in the current year and £110,000 of the Cabinet’s capital allocation remained available.  In view of the pressures on the revenue budget arising from the funding position of Slough Children’s Services Trust, it was recommended that any unspent CIF revenue funding be paused until further notice.  This was agreed.

The Leader tabled a proposal to utilise some of the remaining Cabinet capital allocation for the coming year which included funding for Christmas lights on Farnham Road, replacing trees lost to drought, additional equipment in parks and literature to support oral health education.  It was agreed that these projects would be allocated £95,000 of the £110,000 which was available.

The status of a number of specific projects was raised and Lead Members commented that the timelines for projects receiving CIF allocations needed to be significantly tightened up to ensure that projects were delivered more quickly once the funding had been allocated.  At the conclusion of the discussion the recommendations in the report and the tabled proposals for the use of the Cabinet allocation were agreed.

Resolved –

(a)  That the expenditure to date from the Community Investment Fund 2019/20 be noted;

(b)  That due to the current financial situation within the Slough Children’s Services Trust (SCST) that any unspent revenue funding within the Community Investment Fund 2019/20 is paused until further notice; and

(c)  That the following schemes be funded from within the Cabinet’s remaining capital funding allocation of the 2019/20 Community Investment Fund:

·  Farnham Road Christmas lights - £19,300

·  Replacement trees for those lost to drought across Slough - £50,000

·  Equipment installation and repairs to support developing Parks Strategy - £24,000

·  Oral health education literature - £1,700