Agenda item

Capital Programme 2009-10 Monitoring Period 8: Project Appraisals and Variations

B Report of the Director of Finance and Support

Decision:

1. The following schemes are to be to be added to the capital programme for 2009-10.

Scheme Reference, Description & Directorate	Narrative	2009-10 £	Future Years £	Funding Source
2009-10/GF070 Grimebusters Environment & Culture	Purchase of two trailer mounted pressure washers and a bespoke vehicle for street washing and gum removal. The vehicle and equipment would be used to deliver an enhanced street scene with washed streets (targeting the town centre), free of gum and a reduction in graffiti.	84,000	-	NEIP
2009-10/GF071B Carbon Management Projects – Lighting and Timeclocks Environment & Culture	To undertake a range of energy saving projects to reduce the carbon emissions of the Council, in line with the adopted policy and terms and conditions of the external grant funding. The work will include lighting upgrades to: Greyfriars bus station, Westbridge Cedos block, Camp Hill Depot and Fish Street offices. Timeclocks will be installed at the Central Museum, Fish Street offices and Westbridge Admin block. Passive infrared lighting will be installed at Lings Forum.	52,721	-	50% Prudential Borrowing, 50% Salix
2009-10/GF072 Partnership Information Hub (GIS) Finance & Support	To create a Northamptonshire partnership information hub. This will ensure that there is a comprehensive central information point for demographic, socio-economic and general geographic information.	121,000	49,000	NEIP

Further details of these appraisals can be seen at Annex A of this report.

2. The following variations to schemes in the capital programme for 2009-10 are approved.

Scheme Reference, Description & Directorate	Narrative	2009-10 £	Future Years £	Funding Source
Budget Increase
2008-09/GF073 V03 Money 4 Youth Assistant Chief Executive	Additional funding of £25k has been awarded to NBC for floodlights and a youth shelter at the multi-use games area in St Davids. The original budget for this project was an estimate of the funding that would be received, the amount in the capital programme is £14,632 less than the funding received, therefore the budget needs to be increased by a net amount of £10,368.	10,368	-	GOEM
Budget Decrease
2009-10/GF063B V01 Lings Forum Lighting Upgrade Environment & Culture	Further testing has shown that this project is not compliant with the terms and conditions of the Salix funding. Other projects will be submitted to utilise this funding, therefore there are no savings as a result of this variation.	(39,444)	-	50% Prudential Borrowing, 50% Salix
Neutral Budget Impact
2007-08/CS012 V06 Kitchen Replacement (Backlog) Housing HRA	Additional kitchens requiring urgent replacement and kitchens that are in homes in a general poor state of repair have resulted in the average kitchen cost being higher than estimated.	80,000	-	MRA
2008-09/HRA007 V04 Complete Roofs Housing HRA	An additional roof replacement arising out of a responsive repair issue required capital replacement over and above this year’s original programme.	45,000	-	MRA
2009-10/HRA002 V02 Cooper Street Heating Improvements – Phase 2 Housing HRA	This project has been tendered and has come in well within budget. Sizeable contingencies are required to ensure all the technical issues associated with a complex district heating scheme can be resolved quickly and efficiently, to maximize tenant comfort and satisfaction, however there is still sufficient budget to finance other key schemes delivering decent homes.	(100,000)	-	MRA
2009-10/HRA004 V05 Decent Homes & Poor Condition Housing HRA	There are some decent homes issues associated with structural defects and key decent homes failures that need immediate attention in order that the council does not breach its right to repair duty under the Landlord and Tenants Act. These are works to be completed earlier than expected but that would have been attributed to decent homes budgets later in the investment programme.	(85,000)	-	MRA
2009-10/HRA007 V02 Structural Repairs Housing HRA	Following reports of leaks and other reported issues to the roof at St Katharine’s Court in Spring Boroughs inspection has shown that the parapet wall to the top of this ten-story block is in a dilapidated state and requires urgent attention. The works are sufficient in scope and nature to warrant capital expenditure.	10,000	-	MRA
2009-10/HRA014 V03 Door Entry Replacement Housing HRA	Additional urgent door replacements and upgrades are required to defend vulnerable blocks from serious antisocial behaviour such as arson, and deliberate damage, where the risk to property and people is considerable.	50,000	-	MRA

Further details of these variations can be seen at Annex B of this report.

3. The following are noted:

a. The capital programme monitoring position as at end of November 2009, including forecast outturns, revenue expenditure funded by capital and slippage into 2010-11, as set out at Annex C, D and E.

b. The funding arrangements for the 2009-10 capital programme as set out at Annex F.

Minutes:

Councillor Clarke addressed cabinet and reiterated an earlier comment that these monitoring reports referred to real people. He was not confident that the Council could achieve what had been promised and was particularly concerned about a promise of an updated heating system that had not been delivered. He repeated his concern about the lack of service in communal areas.

In response, the Portfolio Holder for Housing agreed to discuss details of Councillor Clarke’s specific concerns outside of the meeting. It had generally been felt inappropriate during this cold weather to perform works that could leave people without heating, even for a short time.

Councillor Perkins presented the report to Cabinet. He assured members that all schemes set out in the report were fully funded and progress was as would be expected at this stage of the financial year. It was made clear that forecast saving was against the original capital plan and there was still money available to finish all current projects in the appropriate way.

RESOLVED

1. That the following schemes be to be added to the capital programme for 2009-10.

Scheme Reference, Description & Directorate	Narrative	2009-10 £	Future Years £	Funding Source
2009-10/GF070 Grimebusters Environment & Culture	Purchase of two trailer mounted pressure washers and a bespoke vehicle for street washing and gum removal. The vehicle and equipment would be used to deliver an enhanced street scene with washed streets (targeting the town centre), free of gum and a reduction in graffiti.	84,000	-	NEIP
2009-10/GF071B Carbon Management Projects – Lighting and Timeclocks Environment & Culture	To undertake a range of energy saving projects to reduce the carbon emissions of the Council, in line with the adopted policy and terms and conditions of the external grant funding. The work will include lighting upgrades to: Greyfriars bus station, Westbridge Cedos block, Camp Hill Depot and Fish Street offices. Timeclocks will be installed at the Central Museum, Fish Street offices and Westbridge Admin block. Passive infrared lighting will be installed at Lings Forum.	52,721	-	50% Prudential Borrowing, 50% Salix
2009-10/GF072 Partnership Information Hub (GIS) Finance & Support	To create a Northamptonshire partnership information hub. This will ensure that there is a comprehensive central information point for demographic, socio-economic and general geographic information.	121,000	49,000	NEIP

Further details of these appraisals could be seen at Annex A of the Cabinet report.

2. That the following variations to schemes in the capital programme for 2009-10 be approved.

Scheme Reference, Description & Directorate	Narrative	2009-10 £	Future Years £	Funding Source
Budget Increase
2008-09/GF073 V03 Money 4 Youth Assistant Chief Executive	Additional funding of £25k has been awarded to NBC for floodlights and a youth shelter at the multi-use games area in St Davids. The original budget for this project was an estimate of the funding that would be received, the amount in the capital programme is £14,632 less than the funding received, therefore the budget needs to be increased by a net amount of £10,368.	10,368	-	GOEM
Budget Decrease
2009-10/GF063B V01 Lings Forum Lighting Upgrade Environment & Culture	Further testing has shown that this project is not compliant with the terms and conditions of the Salix funding. Other projects will be submitted to utilise this funding, therefore there are no savings as a result of this variation.	(39,444)	-	50% Prudential Borrowing, 50% Salix
Neutral Budget Impact
2007-08/CS012 V06 Kitchen Replacement (Backlog) Housing HRA	Additional kitchens requiring urgent replacement and kitchens that are in homes in a general poor state of repair have resulted in the average kitchen cost being higher than estimated.	80,000	-	MRA
2008-09/HRA007 V04 Complete Roofs Housing HRA	An additional roof replacement arising out of a responsive repair issue required capital replacement over and above this year’s original programme.	45,000	-	MRA
2009-10/HRA002 V02 Cooper Street Heating Improvements – Phase 2 Housing HRA	This project has been tendered and has come in well within budget. Sizeable contingencies are required to ensure all the technical issues associated with a complex district heating scheme can be resolved quickly and efficiently, to maximize tenant comfort and satisfaction, however there is still sufficient budget to finance other key schemes delivering decent homes.	(100,000)	-	MRA
2009-10/HRA004 V05 Decent Homes & Poor Condition Housing HRA	There are some decent homes issues associated with structural defects and key decent homes failures that need immediate attention in order that the council does not breach its right to repair duty under the Landlord and Tenants Act. These are works to be completed earlier than expected but that would have been attributed to decent homes budgets later in the investment programme.	(85,000)	-	MRA
2009-10/HRA007 V02 Structural Repairs Housing HRA	Following reports of leaks and other reported issues to the roof at St Katharine’s Court in Spring Boroughs inspection has shown that the parapet wall to the top of this ten-story block is in a dilapidated state and requires urgent attention. The works are sufficient in scope and nature to warrant capital expenditure.	10,000	-	MRA
2009-10/HRA014 V03 Door Entry Replacement Housing HRA	Additional urgent door replacements and upgrades are required to defend vulnerable blocks from serious antisocial behaviour such as arson, and deliberate damage, where the risk to property and people is considerable.	50,000	-	MRA

Further details of these variations could be seen at Annex B of the Cabinet report.

3. That the following be noted:

a. The capital programme monitoring position as at end of November 2009, including forecast outturns, revenue expenditure funded by capital and slippage into 2010-11, as set out at Annex C, D and E.

b. The funding arrangements for the 2009-10 capital programme as set out at Annex F.

Supporting documents:

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Agenda item

Capital Programme 2009-10 Monitoring Period 8: Project Appraisals and Variations

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