Agenda and minutes

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 18^th September 2018 were confirmed as a correct record and signed.

The Strategic Director of Neighbourhoods and Community Wellbeing responded to matters arising from the minutes and additional information requested is set out in the appendix to these minutes.

The following disclosures were made:

Councillor Miah in respect of item 5 declared a personal interest as a Trustee of Fearon Hall Trust

Councillor Lowe in respect of item 5 declared a personal interest as a Trustee of the Carillon Tower Trust.

No questions were submitted

No questions were submitted.

To consider the budget proposals approved by the Cabinet, for consultation regarding the Loughborough Special Expenses for the 2019/20 financial year. 

A report of the Head of Finance and Property Services providing information on the draft Loughborough Special Expenses for 2019/20, was submitted (item 5 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Strategic Director for Corporate Services, Strategic Director for Neighbourhoods and Community Wellbeing and the Head of Leisure and Culture assisted with consideration of the item and the following summarises comments and observations made by Members of the Committee and responses to questions raised:

      i.        The effectiveness of the Committee to scrutinise in a timely manner the Loughborough Special Expenses was raised as a concern.  It was suggested that in future years, the meeting to consider the Special Expenses be held earlier in the budget process, if possible.

    ii.        Suggested that additional information about income streams and spend under the service areas be provided to the committee in future. The specific examples were around the fair and car parks. 

     iii.            With reference to note 5 (appendix 1) concerning the Voluntary and Community Sector Development Post, more information be provided about the funding and performance of the post.

   iv.        With reference to note 9 (appendix 1), the Committee queried whether expenditure on the Outwoods was financed from the Loughborough Special Expenses.  

    v.        With reference to note 16 (appendix 1) concerning the Cemetery Service, information about the total amounts spent of Consultant Fees be provided to the Committee.

   vi.        With reference to the Support Services re-charges, it was explained that in some cases the re-charges had increased whereas others had reduced.  The variations were as a result of fluctuations in the actual officer time spent and it was explained that not all services had in place time recording for re-charging purposes.

  vii.        The recent expenditure on Fearon Hall and the Carillon Tower were not set out in the report because that was Capital expenditure and Loughborough Special expenses relates to Revenue expenditure.

 viii.        The Council is supporting the Carillon War Memorial Trust to submit a Heritage lottery Fund bid to tell the story of the Carillon and the Taylor Bells as well as providing new cases for its collection of war memorabilia in the run up to the Carillons centenary in 2023.   Revenue funding had also been allocated to undertake internal decorating at the Carillon Tower before it re-opens. 

   ix.        It was suggested that a water bottle re-filling station or the possibility of using the original water fountain in the Town Centre be explored as part of the budget setting process.

    x.        It was suggested that consideration be given to providing free toilet facilities in the Town Centre as part of the budget setting process.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet be advised of the above-mentioned comments and observations, when it considers the General Fund and HRA Revenue Budget report to be presented to Cabinet on 14^th February 2019.

Reasons

To inform the Cabinet of the Committees views on the draft Loughborough Special Expenses for 2019/20 in accordance with its terms of reference.

Noted that the next meeting of the Committee to be held on 19^th March 2019 and will consider the open spaces, built facilities and play and pitch strategies.