A DROP in forecast receipts has led to a funding shortfall of £2.291 million in Warrington Borough Council’s capital programme.
This is despite the original capital budget of £87.137 million being devised downwards by more than £3 million since the programme was agreed in March.
A report by director of environment and regeneration Andy Farrall (pictured) to the council’s economy and resources overview and scrutiny committee indicates that the £2.291 shortfall is unlikely to be realised before 2012-13.
However, the capital programme historically experiences slippage of five per cent and at the moment it is believed the under-funding will be covered by slippage.
Mr Farrall says the original budget for the current year has been revised to incorporate commitments carried forward from last year of £9.561, new schemes that have been added to the programme, schemes which have been deleted and budget realignments.
The major casualty of cut backs is the controversial £3 million solar farm project which is no longer viable because of changes made by the Government.
But schemes totalling £2.209 million have been added to the programme, including the town centre youth café, Lysander High School boiler works, Woolston Playbarn Sensory Centre, acess improvements, a members’ capital investment fund and environment Section 106 schemes.
At the end of September, the council had spent only 19 per cent of the capital budget, but this is in line with previous years as most appending is programmed for January-March next year.
A funding shortfall of £586,000 exists on the 2013-14 capital programme, relating to Children’s Services – schemes at Woolston and Bewsey primary schools.
It is expected this will be met from future grant allocations which have yet to be announced..
Council's £2.2 million funding shortfall
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
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So, no surprises then! WBC Officers act in quite a cavalier manner with regard to spending money. When will they realise that they cannot go on like this? More importantly, when are our Elected Councillors going to take control of the situation to ensure that there are no more overspends and that the WBC finances are brought under control? Look around the Borough and you will see plenty of schemes that are being implemented and make you think – are they really necessary? There are also, other schemes in the pipeline e.g. 20mph, new Telephone system etc that we could really do without. What is going to be done? What did the Scrutiny committee say to Mr Farrell that will make him reduce the spend for the benefit of the Council Tax Payers? Do we have an Executive Member for Finance at WBC? If so, they remain suspiciously quiet. Have the controlling Labour Group at the Town Hall discussed this seriously and what solution do they have? Roll on May 2012!