Issue - meetings

Councillor Russell Holland, the Cabinet Member for Finance, Education, and Skills along with the Corporate Director of Finance and Assets, submitted joint report to provide an update to the Capital Strategy and report new capital investment requirements through to 2024/25.

Councillor Holland introduced the joint report and proposed the following additional recommendations and amendments:

·         Add: 2.1.4 To approve a £4.8m virement from the budget allocated to the proposed Swindon Museum and Art Gallery to Junction 15 M4 from the 2019/20 capital programme.

·         Add: 2.5 Subject to 2.1.4 above being approved at Full Council, to authorise the CEO in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning  to agree terms with SWLEP and Highways England and then for the Chief Legal Officer to enter into appropriate agreements.

·         In recommendation 2.3, replace Thamesdown Avenue with Thames Avenue”

Councillor Gary Sumner, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, spoke in support of the additional recommendations regarding the money for work at Junction 15, which was necessary to address traffic flow issues now. Councillor Maureen Penny, Cabinet Member for Transport and the Environment, asked that it be noted that she would be bringing a proposal to install automatic number plate recognition in car parks, which would cost approximately £500K, to Cabinet in March 2020 for consideration.

Councillors Jim Grant and Jane Milner-Barry asked a series of questions about the plans for a new museum and art gallery along with how £400k allocated for improvements to the current building would be ring-fenced and what those works might be.  Councillor Dale Heenan, Cabinet Member of the Town Centre, responded at the meeting.

Resolved – (1) That Council be recommend to (Minute for Confirmation):

(a)  approve the additions to the Capital Programme and funding sources for the schemes set out at Appendix 1 to the main report;

(b)  approve that further updates to the Capital Programme can be approved by Cabinet within the approved capital financing revenue budget and prudential indicators; and

(c)  approve the Capital Strategy attached at Appendix 2 to the main report; and

(d)  approve a £4.8m virement from the budget allocated to the proposed Swindon Museum and Art Gallery to Junction 15, M4.

(2) That Cabinet noted the impact on long-term borrowing of the approvals sought in this paper as set out at paragraph 3.9 of the main report;

(3) That a budget for £24,922 in 2019/20 funded from S106 contributions for speed reduction measures on Thames Avenue as set out at paragraph 3.6 of the main report be approved;

(4) That it be approved that the schools capital funding is distributed as detailed in paragraph 3.17 of the main report.

(5) That, subject to 2.1.4 above being approved at Full Council, the Chief Executive be authorised in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning  to agree terms with Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Highways England and then for the Chief Legal Officer to enter into appropriate agreements.

The reasons for the decision and alternative options are as set out in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64