Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were received for the meeting.

No declarations of interests were made.

[For approval]

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 11 November 2015 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

[To consider any matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting]

There were no matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

[To recommend that Council approves the revised medium term General Fund and Housing Revenue Account capital programme reflecting the latest projected expenditure for the medium term]

Cllr Andrew Johnson presented the report which provided an update on the financial performance of the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital programmes for 2015/16 and the revised forecast for 2015/16 to 2019/20 as at quarter two of 2015/16.  Cabinet was also asked to recommend revised General Fund and HRA capital programmes for the period 2015/16 to 2019/20 to Full Council for approval.

Resolved:

1.     That Full Council be recommended to:

a.     Approve the revised medium term General Fund capital programme of £213.6 million, an increase of £5.6 million from the previously approved programme, reflecting the latest projected expenditure for the medium term.

b.     Approve the revised medium term Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital programme of £208.0 million, a decrease of £6.9 million from the previously approved programme.

c.     Approve the additional resources for six new and twenty five existing General Fund projects totalling £5.6 million.

2.    That the nine General Fund virements totalling £8.1 million detailed at appendix B to the report be approved.

3.  That the schedules of works for the capital projects under the following directorates be approved:

a.       Corporate: ICTS and in relation to Education; Primary Expansion programme, Capital Maintenance and Universal Infant Free School Meals (appendix C1).

b.       People: Sports Investment Strategy, Co-location programme and Learning Disability (appendix C2).

c.       Place: Corporate Asset Management, Urban Parks Refurbishment Programme, Disposals Programme, Targeted Disposals, Accessing Growth Fund, Managing Short Trips and Structural Maintenance (appendix C3).

4.     That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Education, in consultation with the Director of Education and the Director of Finance, to accept suitable tenders for the required works.

5.     That the expenditure position for quarter two of 2015/16 which stands at 25.3% of the approved general fund capital budget be noted.

6.     That the expenditure position for quarter two of 2015/16 which stands at 30.1% of the approved Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital budget be noted.

7.     That it be noted that at the time of writing the report, work was being undertaken in relation to a number of specific capital projects. As a result of this work, should any amendments to the capital programme be approved by Cabinet (Resources) Panel subsequent to this meeting and prior to Council on 16 December 2015, then the report to Council would fully reflect such changes and provide a comprehensive update to the capital programme

[To note the forecast treasury management position for 2015/16; the position regarding the Prudential and Treasury Management Indicators, and the Council’s approved Treasury Management Policy Statement]

Cllr Andrew Johnson presented the monitoring and progress report on treasury management activity for the second quarter of 2015/16 as part of the mid-year review, in line with the Prudential Indicators approved by Council in March 2015.

Resolved:

          That Full Council be recommended to note:

1.       A mid-year review of the Treasury Management Strategy Statement had been undertaken and the Council had operated within the limits and requirements approved in March 2015.

2.       Savings of £1.9 million for the General Fund and £2.9 million for the Housing Revenue Account are forecast from treasury management activities in 2015/16.

3.       In the event of updated capital programme figures being reported to Cabinet (Resources) Panel on 15 December 2015, a revised version of this report would be presented to Council on 16 December 2015.

[To approve the Strategy and endorse its use across the Council and its partners in order to prioritise the needs of this vulnerable group of children and young people]

Cllr Val Gibson asked Cabinet to approve the Corporate Parenting Strategy 2015-2017 for Looked after Children and Care Leavers and endorse its use across the Council and its partners in order to prioritise the needs of this vulnerable group of children and young people.

Resolved:

          That Full Council be recommended to

1.       Approve the Corporate Parenting Strategy 2015 -2017.

2.       Endorse the Council’s corporate commitment to the needs of Looked After Children and Care Leavers.

3.       Pledges personal commitment to raising the profile and support offered to Wolverhampton’s Looked After Children and Care Leavers