Issue - meetings

To accept the report on the end of year review (31 March 2022 position) of the capital programme. 

The expenditure of £37,054,000 on the capital programme during the 2021/22 financial year was noted, which would be used in the statutory financial statements for 2021/22. 

To approve the revised financing as shown in part 4 of the report, namely: 

• £173,000 decrease in the use of loans 
• £11,304,000 increase in the use of grants and contributions 
• £94,000 reduction in the use of capital receipts 
• £426,000 reduction in the use of revenue contributions 

• No change in the use of the capital reserve 
• An increase of £1,003,000 in the use of renewal funds and others 

The report was submitted by Cllr Ioan Thomas.

DECISION

To accept the report on the end of year review (31 March 2022 position) of the capital programme.

The expenditure of £37,054,000 on the capital programme during the 2021/22 financial year was noted, which would be used in the statutory financial statements for 2021/22.

To approve the revised financing as shown in part 4 of the report, namely:

• £173,000 decrease in the use of loans
• £11,304,000 increase in the use of grants and contributions
• £94,000 reduction in the use of capital receipts
• £426,000 reduction in the use of revenue contributions
• No change in the use of the capital reserve
• £1,003,000 increase in the use of renewal funds and others.

DISCUSSION

The report was submitted, noting that it presented the revised capital programme and to approve the relevant financing sources. It was expressed that the main conclusions were that the Council had succeeded to spend £37.1m in 2021/22 on capital plans, with 81% of it funded through specific grants.

It was explained that the impact of Covid-19 had continued on the capital programme. It was noted in addition to the £31.2m reported on in previous reviews 2021/22, that a further £26.8m of proposed spending had been re-profiled to 2022/23 and attention was drawn to the main plans including:

·         £7.6 million in Housing and Homelessness Strategy Plans

·         £7.2 million in Flood Prevention and Land Drainage Schemes

·         £6.5 million in 21st Century Schools Plans and Others

·         £4.0 million in Welsh Government New Grants in Housing (displaced resource re-profiled)

·         £3.2 million in Additional General Capital Grant 21/22 (received in the last quarter of the year with the right to transfer it to 22/23).

Attention was drawn to additional grants the Council had managed to attract since the previous review, which included:

·         £3.2 million - Additional General Capital Grant 21/22 - approved slippage to 22/23.

·         £3.1 million - Grants from the Land Development and Construction Fund which enables replacing existing funding to be spent in 22/23.

·         £1.3 million - Intermediate Care Fund Grant - adaptations to adult establishments and facilitate joint working with other agencies in the care field.

·         £1.1 million - Free School Meals Capital Grant - approve replacing current funding to be spent in 22/23 on school kitchen modifications.

The Senior Finance Manager added that there was an obvious impact on grants with a high number of grants slipping, and it was highlighted that this affected Council funds.

Observations arising from the discussion

¾     It was explained that this report was technical and there were robust plans for the plans that had slipped. It was expressed that the Council's Assets Plan would be submitted soon and it would note how much capital funding would be available to spend in the coming years.

¾     Dissatisfaction was expressed with grants arriving late in the year, emphasising that it was difficult to plan for the long term and ensure a balanced budget.