The Committee considered a
report which sought feedback on the responsibilities of the
Committee as consultees, on the development of the Cheshire East
Medium-Term Financial Strategy.
There remained a shortfall of
£12.7m across all committees to be resolved and further
budget change proposals were sought to help present a balanced
budget. The Economy and Growth budget
for 2023/24 was £25.0m. Expenditure was forecast to increase
by £4.9m next year. The budget would increase by £2.0m
and as a result Economy and Growth would need to find savings of
£2.9m to mitigate the increasing expenditure.
It was reported that the
High-Level Business Cases would be presented at the Corporate
Policy Committee on the 13 of February.
Members asked questions and
provided comments in relation to the proposals. These
included:
- asked for an update on the budget allocated for the South
Macclesfield Development Area and asked what the financial
implications would be if the Council did not proceed with
the Gawsworth Road/London Road
Link Road and the project was removed from the capital
programme. In response it was stated
that the cancellation of a capital project would lead to any costs
incurred to date, (and have been capitalised against the project)
falling against the revenue budget for that year. The spend to date
on the project was around £3.2m.
- referred to the Third Financial Review report which referenced
the Council being responsible for approximately 500 services and
asked what these were and if they were statutory or non-statutory
services and could some of these services be provided on the
Council’s behalf by other local authorities.
- referred to the operating cost for Tatton Park and asked if
there should be investment to generate more income and that any
target should be over a longer period than a year and that the
overall subsidy should be reduced by a percentage rather than a
cash saving.
- referred to the Farms Policy Member Advisory Group and asked if
the issue of disposal of the estate and increasing the revenue
income could be considered urgently by them.
A
list of the additional budget proposals put forward by the
Conservative Group was circulated to the Committee. The proposals included:
Disposal of Westfields:
i.
suggestion that the site could be expanded to include the two adjacent car parks to fully
maximise its development potential.
ii.
The end-use of the site must include provision that
meets the maximum savings potential required by the Council (SEND
and ASC Supported Living/Extra Care)
iii.
A clear schedule for development of the expanded
site must be included in the Work Programme for Economy &
Growth as well as affiliated Committees, with clear KPIs and
Project Management oversight throughout the life of the project.
Appendix A1 – Economy and Growth further list of proposals
OFFICIAL Such project work has a lead-in time of at least two/three
years and therefore must be scheduled in the work programme from
the outset.
Handforth Garden Village:
- the Handforth Village site remains a
regular item on this Committee’s work programme.
- the Strategic Development Team report back on the financial
monitoring of the scheme in order that any future sales of the site
(in part or in total) are timed to maximise fiscal returns to the
Council.
- the Council’s LPA function is supported to prioritise
timely appraisal and determination of planning applications related
to this and other CEC development projects necessary to deliver
fiscal sustainability.
Macclesfield Car Parks:
- potentially Duke
Street or part of Churchill Way, be released to support Town Centre
regeneration and Town Centre residential accommodation, with
capacity for older persons or ‘HAPPI’ disability
compliant ground-floor provision.
- the proposal is included in the Work Programme for Economy &
Growth and aligned with the work programmes of affiliated
Committees.
- a
clear schedule for development of the site, with KPIs and Project
Management oversight throughout the life of the
project.
- the end use for this site is still to be determined but the
confirmed over-capacity of Macclesfield’s car park provision
is better used to meet the Council’s development requirements
over the medium/long term to help ensure its fiscal
sustainability.
- such project work has a lead-in time of at least two/three years
and therefore must be scheduled in the work programme from the
outset.
It
was proposed and seconded that the proposals in Appendix 1 and the
Conservative Group proposals be recommended to the Corporate Policy
Committee for inclusion in the Council’s budget
2024/25.
RESOLVED: That the Committee
1
recommend to the Corporate Policy Committee, for their meeting on
13 February 2024, all proposals within the budget consultation, as
related to the Committee’s responsibilities, for inclusion in
the Council’s budget for 2024/25.
2
the additional proposals from the Conservative Group be recommended
to the Corporate Policy Committee for inclusion in the
Council’s budget proposals.