Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Financial Sustainability presented the Draft Strategic Asset Management Plan. He said that this was a refresh of the Asset Management Plan for the period 2023-2028 and was designed to ensure that all the council’s assets were performing at an optimum. The plan evaluated how each asset contributed or otherwise to the council’s corporate priorities and a decision made on its retention, investment, or disposal.

Councillor Haysey said the plan was well put together and thanked the team for putting it together. She said it was a good base to look at the council’s assets.

Councillor Pope referred to page 5, paragraph 2.8 and the public sector decarbonisation scheme grant. He asked how much money had been received from this grant and what had been spent so far.

The Head of Strategic Finance and Property said that the council had not yet applied to the second round of funding as it was dependent on the future location of the council’s offices.

Councillor Pope asked at what point would the council decide to make a bid. He said the report mentioned that the boiler at Wallfields would need to be renewed and asked if this had been allowed for the in Medium Term Financial Plan.

Councillor Williamson said that a decision needed to be made first on whether the council’s offices remain at Wallfields and if the decision was to remain in the current offices, the council would apply for grants to replace the boiler.

Councillor Buckmaster clarified that the council had not applied for previous phases of the scheme and would be looking to apply to thethird phase of funding this year.

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services said that this was correct and the council would be applying for funding in future rounds and did not mean that the council had bid in every round of funding.

Councillor Pope referred to page 15 which related to investment property. He asked if this was a forecast or actual figure.

Councillor Williamson confirmed it was a forecast figure.

Councillor Pope referred to page 24 and said that the valuations of the council’s assets were subject to external audit each year which had been delayed this year. He asked if the Executive Member was still happy with that paragraph.

The Head of Strategic Finance and Property said that the council was very close to agreeing the accounts with EY for the 2020/21 financial year. He said they had not questioned the asset valuations.

Councillor McAndrew referred to page 25 and the Buntingford Depot Centre. He said this was up for renewal in 2026 and it may be that another appropriate site be considered.

Councillor Williamson proposed, and Councillor McAndrew seconded a motion supporting the recommendations in the report. On being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – That the Draft Strategic Asset Management Plan 2023-2028 be endorsed for scrutiny by the Audit and Governance Committee.