Agenda item

This report presents the first monitoring information for the Authority as a whole for the financial year 2012/13 to the end of July 2012. The report also includes a number of budget transfer requests for both revenue and capital that require Cabinet agreement or are reported for information purposes as prescribed by the Budget Management Scheme

Councillor Vic Pritchard observed that the £1.8M designated for gypsy/Traveller sites in the current year would not be spent; and asked Cabinet therefore to vire a substantial amount to be used for affordable housing.

Councillor David Bellotti moved the recommendations.  He explained that there had been an overspend on transport because, as the Park and Ride sites become successful, less people are parking in the centre of Bath.  However he expected that there would be a satisfactory situation by the end of the financial year.  He observed that £0.5M had been allocated for affordable housing, and expressed the hope that this might be increased in the next round.

Councillor Tim Ball seconded the proposal.  He responded to Councillor Vic Pritchard by pointing out that £1.8M capital borrowing was not the same as cash in hand.  He said that until the size of the site was known, it was not possible to determine the cost.

On a motion from Councillor David Bellotti, seconded by Councillor Tim Ball, it was

RESOLVED (unanimously)

(1) To ASK Strategic Directors to continue to work towards managing within budget in the current year for their respective service areas, and to manage below budget where possible by not committing unnecessary expenditure, through tight budgetary control;

(2) To NOTE this year’s revenue budget position as shown in the report;

(3) To NOTE the capital expenditure position for the Council in the financial year to the end of July and the year end projections;

(4) To AGREE the revenue virements listed for approval in the report; and

(5) To NOTE the changes in the capital programme listed in the report.