Minutes:
(The Director of Finance and Resources attended in connection with this item.)
The Committee considered a report in respect of the Committee’s estimates of revenue expenditure for the financial year 2013/2014. A copy of that section of the report, in so far as it applied specifically to the Parks and Leisure Committee, is set out hereunder:
“Parks & Leisure Committee
A spending limit of £23,631,235 is recommended for the Department in respect of the financial year 2013/14. This represents an increase of £465k or 2% on the 2012-13 estimates.The main budgetary intentions of the Department for next year are set out below:
|
Service |
£
|
|
|
|
Leisure Services |
8,469,190 |
|
|
Parks and Cemetery Services |
12,211,114 |
|
|
Directorate |
2,950,931 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Net Expenditure |
23,631,235 |
Growth
As part of the implementation of the investment programme support for the development of participation, community engagement and community events around many of the newly created assets is required. Resources to manage these programmes and to develop further assets and events have also been included for a number of posts; specifically around outreach and commercial development at a cost of £130k.
Active Belfast was previously provided through thematic budgets however from 2013/14 these are no longer available and the department has streamlined the existing £70k into the leisure development budget to support local communities to identify solutions to the problems which they face around life inequalities. To support this approach the Active Belfast Partnership launched a grants programme. The programme has been well received by the community and by key partners, with the PHA confirming the same level of funding available for the grant scheme in 2013/14.
Increased costs
Additional costs of £166,615 must be borne by the Department in respect of superannuation increased provision. Increased electricity, gas and water charges have been provided based on current projections of costs which have added £244,882 to the budget.
Income
The leisure centres as a whole are not likely to experience any growth in income for 2013/14 due to some closures for maintenance and due to the current economic climate and the reduction in leisure centre memberships.
Belfast Castle and Malone House have both reflected a loss of income through fees and charges and the franchise fee for each site has also been reduced as the contracts are being terminated due to poor performance. Consequently a reduction of income of £55,000 and £36,000 respectively has been shown for each site.
Income for the Zoo has decreased by 1% or £18k from £1,811k in 2012/13 to£1,793k in 2013/14. It is felt that throughput will not grow and it is proposed that charges are held around inflationary levels. The Cemeteries and Crematorium income is up by £330kor 18% to reflect increases in charges as per committee decisions in February 2011 and October 2012. The crematorium income has also increased significantly due to the availability of extra slots each week as a result of the new opening hours.
The Department will make a contribution of £156,752 to the efficiency programme in 2013/14. Efficiency savings will be made as follows:
|
Efficiency Area |
£ |
|
1. Review of overtime and agency costs |
50,000 |
|
2. Additional income from cremations due to opening hours increasing |
50,000 |
|
3. Procurement contract savings |
26,476 |
|
4. Telephony review |
13,262 |
|
5. Mobile phones review |
3,614 |
|
6. Printing reviews |
10,000 |
|
7. Review of Advertising vacancies |
3,400 |
|
Total Departmental Efficiency Savings |
£156,752 |
|
|
|
Recommendations
The Committee is requested to note the contents of the report and agree the cash limits for the Parks and Leisure Committee for 2013/14 of £23,631,236.
|
PARKS AND LEISURE COMMITTEE |
||||||||||||
|
MAIN ITEMS OF ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE 2013/14 |
||||||||||||
|
Net Expenditure |
Net Expenditure |
|
||||||||||
|
2012/13 |
2013/14 |
|
||||||||||
|
Leisure |
|
|||||||||||
|
Leisure Centres |
7,670,865 |
7,826,198 |
|
|||||||||
|
Leisure Development |
549,243 |
642,992 |
|
|||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Parks and Cemeteries |
|
|||||||||||
|
Zoo |
794,549 |
854,146 |
|
|||||||||
|
Landscape Planning and Development |
1,847,757 |
1,935,307 |
|
|||||||||
|
Estates Mgt inc Belfast Castle/Malone House |
252,215 |
339,042 |
|
|||||||||
|
P&C Development |
177,906 |
138,893 |
|
|||||||||
|
P&C Services |
1,284,501 |
1,204,121 |
|
|||||||||
|
Open Spaces & Active Living |
546,894 |
658,461 |
|
|||||||||
|
Area East (Including Roselawn/Crem.) |
2,285,031 |
1,883,562 |
|
|||||||||
|
Area South West (including City Cem.) |
2,751,475 |
2,850,145 |
|
|||||||||
|
Area North |
2,237,419 |
2,347,437 |
|
|||||||||
|
Directorate |
|
|||||||||||
|
Anti Social Behaviour |
253,545 |
253,917 |
|
|||||||||
|
PBDU |
744,740 |
701,608 |
|
|||||||||
|
Business Support / Bereavement Admin |
1,769,900 |
1,995,406 |
|
|||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||
|
TOTAL |
23,166,040 |
23,631,235” |
|
|||||||||
The Director of Parks and Leisure outlined the factors which had been taken into account in the preparation of the estimates and highlighted the issues which had contributed to a 2% increase in the Department’s expenditure from the previous year’s figure. He informed the Members that the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee would meet the following morning to set the cash limits for all of the Council’s Committees and he recommended that the Members endorse, in principle, the estimate as set out for the Parks and Leisure Committee at £23,631,235.
After discussion, it was
Moved by Councillor Hartley,
Seconded by Councillor O Neill,
That the Committee agrees to endorse the estimates of expenditure as set out for the Parks and Leisure Committee at £23,631,235, subject to the endorsement of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee at its meeting on 11th January.
On a vote by show of hands ten Members voted for the proposal and six against and it was accordingly declared carried.