Introduction
In preparing this year's estimates, the opportunity has again been taken to review the way the Council finances its expenditure - using a combination of income and the precept. The proposals put forward by the Policy, Resources and Finance Committee allow us to achieve many of our aspirations whilst keeping the level of Council Tax down to a reasonable level for a Town the size of Yeovil.
Financial Strategy
These proposals include the adoption of a financial strategy aimed at ensuring that the Council achieves a sustainable balanced budget whilst, at the same time, maintaining flexible ways of responding to future requests for unforeseen and inescapable expenditure.
As part of this strategy, all Committees have been asked to keep their expenditure within suggested maximum limits - with any proposed increases beyond those suggested being matched by reductions elsewhere in their respective budgets. I'm pleased to say that all Committees have followed this suggestion and I am grateful for their support.
The strategy also identifies the benefits of Committees continuing to pool their contingency funds and bidding for the use of these funds as the necessity arises. This approach is consistent with the way in which unspent revenue balances are dealt with and it ensures that all Committees have the same opportunity to bid for additional expenditure next year. Again, I am pleased to report that all Committees have accepted this proposal.
Put simply, the strategy we have adopted makes sure that we plan not only for next year's expenditure, but also for the years to come. The proposals before you tonight set the foundation for future budgets.
Financial Implications
The draft committee estimates put forward by the Policy, Resources and Finance Committee total £773,476 excluding the contribution we make each year to the Cemetery deficit. This equates to a cost of 51p per week for each resident.
Bearing in mind the impact on the budget of items over which we and all other local authorities have no control - such as inflation, which is currently running at 1.5% and expected to rise to at least 2% over the coming year; fluctuations in interest rates (which affect the income we get from our investments) and the anticipated national staff pay award - this is an extremely reasonable budget.
Turning to services, I would like to highlight some of the more important initiatives, which it is proposed be funded by the Town Council during the 2010/11 financial year.
Buildings and Civic Matters Committee
- Increasing our contribution towards CCTV in Yeovil Town by £3,250 to £30,000. This will not only help meet the ongoing operating costs of the system but also enable the equipment to be developed and upgraded in future years.
- Allocating over £18,000 to cover the costs of the Town Council operating the new public toilets that were built earlier this year in Peter Street - to replace those that were previously provided within the Quedam Shopping Centre.
- Setting aside almost £17,000 to help maintain and staff Monmouth Hall - which provides an important meeting place for a number of local organisations and accommodates a local library. In recent years we completed works to install a disabled person's toilet in the premises and created an enclosed play area.
- Providing sponsorship for the Town Band at £3,500 which, in turn secures the Band's support for the numerous civic functions and other engagements that the Town Council organises each year.
- Setting aside just over £5,000 to meet the costs of maintaining and improving the Town Council's offices in Union Street. In recent years, we have installed a hearing induction loop in the Council Chamber, which is extensively used as a meeting room by a wide range of public organisations based in the Town, and next year we plan to repaint the outside of this Grade II listed building.
- Contributing £2,000 towards sports development in the Town
- Allocating just over £4,000 towards transport support - to help meet the costs of providing new bus shelters and related initiatives.
- Setting aside over £4,000 for community safety initiatives such as the provision of lighting in unadopted highway areas, CCTV enhancements and other Town Centre security measures.
Grounds and General Maintenance Committee
- Paying just over £171,000 towards the costs of maintaining and enhancing all the open spaces and amenities managed by the Town Council in Yeovil, and Yeovil Country Park. These areas are primarily provided for the benefit of local people, but also help to attract visitors to the Town.
- Allocating almost £20,000 to meet the on-going costs of supporting and developing Milford Park. This important facility, includes a skate park, multi-use games area and a much-used community hall - which will be redeveloped in the early part of next year in line with the aspirations of a "Planning for Real" consultation exercise - all provided with the financial support of the Town Council.
- Setting aside over £25,000 towards allotment maintenance, improvements, development and support. In line with our participative approach to managing allotments, we are continuing to give plotholders a say on how this money is spent.
- Contributing over £10,000 towards the costs of employing a Play Officer as part of our commitment to managing and developing play facilities for young people across the Town. This person ensures that play areas are regularly inspected and that safety issues are monitored and addressed.
- Allocating over £8,000 to help meet the costs of providing much needed holiday playschemes for young people living in the most deprived areas of the Town.
- Making just over £1,500 available to help meet the running costs of the new destination flagship play area that has been built in Yeovil Recreation Ground this year. This new facility provides thousands of local and visiting youngsters with an exciting play space on their doorstep.
Planning and Licensing Committee
- Setting a budget and fees at a level aimed at recovering all of the direct costs of administering the licensing service.
Promotions and Activities Committee - Effective management and the successful securing of private sponsorship have enabled the Town Council to continue funding the award-winning Yeovil in Bloom initiative at a cost of £35,940.
- Providing just over £19,000 towards Christmas Lights making the Town an even more attractive place to visit and shop in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
- Contributing almost £20,000 to the Yeovil Town Centre Partnership to help secure and develop its role in the Town. This is an important initiative that helps to fuel the economic prosperity and vibrancy of the Town Centre, and the allocated resources will help the Partnership to flourish and develop new initiatives over the coming years.
- Setting aside £8,000 towards further environmental improvements in the Town Centre. Last month saw the completion of a variety of enhancements on the western side of Princes Street - which include the provision of new bespoke planters, public seating and landscaping works at the entrance to the United Reformed Church, and new planters opposite the Church Street junction. These innovative projects are in line with the aspirations of the Yeovil Vision and will undoubtedly play a part in helping us to achieve ongoing success in the Regional Britain in Bloom annual competition.
- Allocating up to £3,700 towards the costs of organising another Annual Flower and Gardeners' Market in the Town Centre. This exciting initiative, which embraces a wide range of horticultural related activities, incorporates the Annual Yeovil in Bloom and Best Kept Allotment Presentations and next year we will be looking to develop a new theme that will take the event from strength to strength.
Policy, Resources and Finance Committee
- Providing a grants budget of £20,000 to help new and existing local organisations based in the Town or serving the Town's population.
- Allocating £5,000 towards the costs of operating the Yeovil Shopmobility Scheme. This initiative continues to provide much-needed personal transport for those residents and visitors who experience mobility problems and allows them to enjoy the wealth of shops that Yeovil has to offer.
- Putting aside just over £1,200 towards the valuable work undertaken by Yeovil Youth Council.
- Making just over £2,500 available towards Best Value initiatives aimed at securing continuous improvement in the services we deliver to the people of Yeovil.
- Provisionally allocating £10,000 towards the ongoing delivery of the Yeovil Vision which, later this month, will see the completion of the much-awaited Reckleford (Option 5) Highway Improvement Project.
- Mindful of the need to develop the range of services that we deliver to the people of Yeovil Town, we have also included a new allocation of £20,000 in the budget towards new initiatives. All the service committees will be invited to put forward bids for the use of this new fund next month, and the Town Council will decide how this new fund will be spent.
Capital Fund
At the moment, this stands at £177,074 with commitments totalling £171,478 which means an unallocated balance of £5,596.
The fund will be boosted by the capital receipt arising from the sale of the former Goldcroft Allotment Site, which we have agreed will be sold and will include much needed affordable housing. The highest offer for the land has been accepted, and we are hoping to conclude the sale of the land in the near future.
The disposal of this land will help meet the costs of the Town Council contributing to future capital projects, including the planned upgrade and enhancement of the play area at Monks Dale Recreation Ground.
Taking into account agreed and pledged funding partner contributions, the total cost of this scheme is £41,170. However, through negotiations and discussion with funding partners, the overall cost to the Town Council will be £15,000 - just over 36%.
Other capital schemes which will be undertaken next year include the redevelopment of Milford Community Hall and the upgrade of the play area at Yew Tree Park.
The cost of the Town Council's contribution to both of these schemes has already been built into the base budget thereby ensuring that they may be delivered during the early part of next year.
Effective partnership working is the key to success and, by working closely with our funding partners, external funding of over £735,000 has been secured in the last two years for the benefit of tens of thousands of local residents and visitors to the Town.
In the event that the sale of the Goldcroft land is delayed, we have included within our proposed budget an alternative way of financing the Town Council's share of the Monks Dale project's costs.
Cllr Steve Hawker
Chairman of the Policy, Resources and Finance Committee
December 2009