Agenda item

Question 1 – Is the Schools capital improvements linked to the ring-fenced budget?

Answer - The Capital programme is separate from the revenue budget.

Question 2 – Is the CIL funding accounted for in the revenue budget?

Answer – No.  The CIL funding is linked to development.  The Council will not commit to spending money before it has been received.

Question 3 – How is Capital expenditure identified?

Answer – These funds are raised in a number of ways including borrowing, capital receipts from the sale of property/land and Section 106/CIL monies.

Question 4 – Is the Council obligated to selling high value assets?  

Answer – No.  The Government is proposing a new Housing Bill that relates to right to buy.  The Council is waiting to hear further information about the implications of the Bill.  The Council does not hold any social housing, only a small number of private dwellings.

Question 5 – Why is the Council setting up its own property company?

Answer – It is the most tax efficient way.  The Council will sell its assets to the property company.  The Council has always had a large commercial estate so this is not something new.  It is the largest landlord in the city of Bath.

Questions 6 – Will the Council own property in North Quays?

Answer – The Council will own the freehold.

Question 7 – Is the Bath Quay Bridge already paid for?

Answer – yes

Question 8 – Has the Heritage Lottery grant for the Archway project been confirmed?

Answer – No. The Council is awaiting a decision on the application. 

Question 9 – Is there a limit on how much the Council can borrow?

Answer – Yes.  The Council has set the capital borrowing limit of £220 million.  Current borrowing is at the value of £150 million.

Question 10 – Will the Council enter into a PFI agreement?

Answer – No. The Council will ensure it gets the best possible deal on its borrowing. 

Question 11 – The old King Edwards School building on Broad Street has remained vacant for many years.  Are there any planned to redevelop this site?

Answer – The building is in private ownership.  It is not currently top of the property list for Compulsory Purchasing Order (CPO). 

Question 12 – How will the Council seek to a make CCTV commercial?

Answer – The Council will allow organisations to buy into its operations.  An example given was Network Rail have CCTV in its stations and the platforms.  These cameras could be linked to the Council’s CCTV control room which are monitored 24 hours.  The Council would charge for this service, thereby reducing its own operation costs.

Question 13 – How does the Council manage its budgets from Adult and Social Care and the NHS?

Answer – The Council has pooled and aligned budgets so there is better integration between the delivery of health and social care services and the commissioning of services.  There is also a focus on prevention in order to help reduce the impact on the NHS budget and acute services and maintain the level of independence of people to remain in their own homes.  It is in the Councils interest to work with the NHS as there are numerous links where preventative health services will result in longer term benefits for residents.

Question 14 – The recent works on the Bath Quay’s bridge will not encourage people to get out of their cars, as the junctions do not provide safe crossings for pedestrians and cyclists.  This will not reduce congestion.  The relevant departments need to work more closely together.

Answer – The Council’s Transport and Fit for Life Strategy identifies the need to ensure we create a healthy and active community.  This is also brought together in the Placemaking plan, the principles of which are to create places, shifting away from piecemeal development.  The Cil monies will help make improvements.  The Council has allocated within in its capital programme funding for junction improvements.