The Leader introduced the report which set out the revenue and capital outturn position for 2018/19.  He referred to the service rollovers, highlighted the increase in reserves and said that whilst not seriously depleting, some reserves were there to be spent. 

The Leader explained that the Special Projects Fund would benefit local people and reserves would not be decimated but topped up by the growth of Business Rates and income from the North Kent Business Rate Plan.  He said that that the administration would be promoting health and recreational activities and advised that concessionary parking at the Swallows Leisure Centre, Sittingbourne and the Sheerness Leisure Centre would be reinstated.

The Leader advised that 22 staff would benefit from the implementation of the Real Living Wage.

The Leader invited the Chairman of Scrutiny Committee to speak.  The Chairman of Scrutiny Committee asked for report headings to be clearer and for the report information to be more consistent, highlighting Real Living Wage/Living Wage and confusing information on whether the Sheerness Leisure Centre was included in the concessionary parking.  He welcomed the Special Projects Fund and sought clarification on whether the £1m referred to in recommendation (3) included the Regeneration Fund or was in addition to it.  The Scrutiny Committee Chairman advised that the Scrutiny Committee had proposed an additional recommendation:

That the Scrutiny Committee recommends that future consideration be given that the Economic Development Support Officer post be made a permanent role at Swale Borough Council.

The Scrutiny Committee Chairman thanked the Chief Financial Officer and his team for their hard work.

In response, the Leader confirmed that the £1m funding was on top of the Regeneration Fund and advised that the Real Living Wage was based on current figures and this would be reviewed in the future.

The Leader gave his support to the Scrutiny Committee’s additional recommendation.

Resolved:

(1)  That the gross revenue underspend of £930,800 be noted

(2)  That the revenue service rollovers of £722,500 and the setting up of new reserves as set out in Appendix I Table 11 for approval be noted.

(3)  That a new fund called ‘Special Projects’ be set up to replace the Regeneration Fund and the topping up of this Fund by £1m per annum from reserves be agreed.

(4)  That the car park concession at the Swallows and Sheerness Leisure Centres from July 2019 at an estimated cost of £90,000 in 2019/20 funded from the underspend in 2018/19 be reinstated.

(5)  That the Real Living Wage for Swale Borough Council staff at a cost of £68,000 per annum funded from the underspend in 2018/19 be implemented.

(6)  That the allocation of uncommitted underspends to reserve funds be delegated to the Chief Financial Officer.

(7)  To note that the capital expenditure of £18,870,571, as detailed in paragraph 8 and Appendix I Table 14 be noted.

(8)  That the capital rollovers of £2,862,822, as detailed in Appendix I Table 15 for approval be noted.

(9) That future consideration be given that the Economic Development Support Officer post be made a permanent role at Swale Borough Council.