Agenda item

The Director of Finance and Resources (Section 151) introduced a report that provided a summary of spend against capital budget for the 2019-20 financial year, as at the end of March 2020, and set out the 2020-21 Capital Programme.

Members were referred to the main items of Capital Programme expenditure set out in the table in section 5 of the report. 

The Chair invited Members to comment and ask questions.

During the course of the discussion, the following points were raised:

• A Member requested information regarding the commercial rent received from the Council owned Odeon cinema in Basingstoke.  The Interim Head of Financial Management agreed to circulate the commercially sensitive information to the Committee outside of the meeting.  It was confirmed that during the Covid-10 pandemic the Council had continued to receive the commercial rents owed. 
• Additional information was sought regarding the procurement of a new refuse fleet and the cemetery extension project.  It was explained that refuse fleet vehicles had an optimum lifespan, and the assets were replaced on a revolving programme.  Refuse fleet vehicles had a 7-10 year life cycle, after which time it became uneconomical to fix vehicles needing repair.  In relation to the cemetery expansion, the Committee was informed that the expansion was necessary to meet the predicted increase in demand.  It was predicted that up until 2060 there would be a continuous 33% increase in number of burials and cremations in Slough.  In the prior years approximately £4 million had been spend on new abatement equipment installed at the crematory.  The expansion had been rolled out in three phases, with the final phase completing in the 2020/21 financial year.
• A Member asked if the recent statement from the Chancellor of the Exchequer had announced any funding for local government to assist with the funding gap created by the impact of Covid-19.  The Director of Finance and Resources (Section 151) reported that no additional funding had been referenced in the recent statement.  Local authorities were awaiting details of the £500 billion allocation which had previously been announced by the Chancellor.
• It was queried if any of the refuse fleet were electric vehicles.  It was explained that there were currently no electric vehicles.  In 2017, when the fleet had previously been replaced, there had been concern there was insufficient infrastructure to maintain and repair electric vehicles.  The availability of technology had now improved, so the purchase of electric vehicles may be considered in the future.

Resolved –

(a)  That the report and revised 2020-21 budget, as set out in Appendix C and D of the report, be noted.

(b)  That the Interim Head of Financial Management be request to circulate information to the Committee regarding the commercial rent received from the Council owned Odeon cinema in Basingstoke.