Issue - meetings

Report by Alistair Cunningham, Corporate Director.

Cllr Philip Whitehead, Cabinet Member for Finance, presented a report which set out the Capital Strategy for 2019/2020 and also the Capital Programme for 2019/2020 with future years projected to 2023/2024.

He explained that the Capital Strategy was a new annual requirement which had to be authorised by Full Council.  The report had been endorsed by Cabinet at its meeting on 5 February 2019.

Cllr Whitehead further explained that the purpose of the Capital Strategy was to clearly set out the priorities and framework within which the Council determined its resourcing priorities for capital investment, decided its level of borrowing, the affordability of the borrowing and set the level of the risk appetite.

Cllr Whitehead thereupon proposed, seconded by Cllr Jerry Wickham, that the

recommendations in the report be adopted.

The Chairman then invited Group Leaders to comment on the proposals all of whom welcomed the report and supported the recommendations.

The Chairman then invited comments in debate.

Cllr Jon Hubbard enquired on development of the Melksham Campus to which Cllr John Thomson reported that the facilities planned for new campuses were being incorporated in health & wellbeing centres.

Cllr Matthew Dean referred to the regeneration of the Maltings in Salisbury and was concerned that there appeared to be no new monies allocated for the final move of the Library. 

Cllr Mark Connolly referred to the Army Basing Programme and considered that  capital investment allocated to this Programme would be  would be insufficient for Tidworth.

Cllr Chuck Berry recommended that details of revenue expected in future years should be included in future reports.

In response, Cllr Whitehead stated that all future investment would not be set out in these reports.  Phase 1 of the Salisbury Vision had been included but it was not possible at present to include Phases 2 & 3.  Regarding the points raised by Cllrs Connolly and Berry he would provide them with responses.

Resolved:

That Council:

a)    Adopt the Capital Strategy 2019/2020;

b)   Approve the Capital Programme 2019/2020-2023/2024

c)  Adopt the non-financial investment indicators (as set out in paragraph 46)

Admin Note: A record of the vote is appended to these minutes.