Issue - meetings

The Mayor advised that two sets of minutes from meetings of the Executive Committee held on Monday 29^th July and Tuesday 3^rd September 2024 had been included in the Council agenda for Members’ consideration.  However, there had been no recommendations made to Council at the first of these meetings and therefore the minutes of the Executive Committee meeting held on 29^th July 2024 had been included to provide Members with an opportunity to ask questions of clarification and to adopt the minutes.

Quarter 1 Revenue and Performance Monitoring Report 2024/25

The Portfolio Holder for Finance explained that there was £350,000 included in the capital programme for the three years of the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) which were due to be spent on upgrading the Arrow Valley Countryside Centre.  The Executive Committee was recommending an amendment to the budget to enable £100,000 of this funding to be spent at an earlier stage than previously anticipated.  This would ensure that the works could be delivered at a quieter period for the venue and thereby minimise disruption for income from food and beverage sales during the busy summer period.

Members discussed the proposal and in doing so commended Rubicon Leisure Limited for the positive impact that the company was having on the delivery of leisure services in the Borough.  Particular reference was made to the positive contribution of the Managing Director of Rubicon Leisure Limited and he was thanked for his hard work.  Members also praised improvements that had been made in the last 12 months to the services available at the Arrow Valley Countryside Centre.

In considering this matter, Members noted that it was important to ensure that all funding was accompanied by appropriate performance indicators.  These would enable the Council to assess the impact of the funding moving forward.  The suggestion was made that the Shareholders Committee should consider this accordingly.

The recommendation was proposed by Councillor Ian Woodall and seconded by Councillor Craig Warhurst.

Treasury Management Outturn Report

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented the Treasury Management Outturn report for the 2023/24 financial year.  Members were advised that there was a requirement for this report to be considered by Council each year.  The report detailed the Council’s Treasury Management arrangements, including in respect of management of prudential indicators.  The Council had made some financial investments and it was important to ensure that these were managed appropriately.  In particular, Members were urged to consider the content of paragraphs 3.2 to 3.21 of the report, as these provided useful information about the Council’s position.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Ian Woodall and seconded by Councillor Joe Baker.

Shopmobility Future Options

The Portfolio Holder for Community Services and Regulatory Services presented the Shopmobility Future Options report for Council’s consideration.  Members were advised that the base for the service was due to move from its current location into a unit in the Kingfisher Shopping Centre.  This would make the service more visible and accessible and it was hoped that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36