Agenda item

To consider a confidential report by the Head of Finance and Assets (copy enclosed) updating members on the 2012/13 element of the Capital Plan and seeking members’ support for the recommendations of the Strategic Investment Group as detailed within the report.

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, Lead Member for Finance and Assets, introduced a confidential report which gave an update of developments under the Capital Plan 2012/13 – 2015/16, and detailed the capital bids recommended by the Strategic Investment Group for inclusion in the Capital Plan.

Councillor Thompson-Hill drew members’ attention to the latest position regarding the demolition of the Honey Club in Rhyl, which the Council had agreed to underwrite, and expected work to commence on the site by mid-April. All other major projects were on target. Members were then directed to Appendix 4, which gave details of the Strategic Investment Group’s recommended projects for the discharge of the £11.76m capital funds available for 2013/14, excluding pending capital receipts.

In response to questions posed by members, Councillor Thompson-Hill confirmed that –

·         the target of raising £8m from capital receipts over 4 years was on course this year

·         the Council was continuing to work with the main developer on the Honey Club site, and that there had been no indication to suggest otherwise

·         the money allocated to the Highways capital programme was not spread on an equal basis, but was determined in consideration of technical information on the urgency of respective road repairs, arranged through Member Area Groups

·         the Council was working closely with Alliance Leisure in the development of Ruthin Leisure Centre, and recognised that their business plan based on increasing membership was viable

·         the total cost of the emergency response to the recent wintry conditions as £170k, noting that an application for Welsh Government aid funding had been made in respect of costs incurred responding to both the snow and the November flooding

·         a register of buildings in Denbighshire containing asbestos was available

·         the Costigan’s site in Rhyl had been purchased, renovated and placed back on the market

Councillor Dewi Owens questioned why the proposal to build a crash barrier between the carriages on the A525 between Rhuddlan and St Asaph was listed in the Capital Plan, having thought the issue had been resolved. Councillor David Smith, Lead Member for Public Realm, clarified that money had been allocated to this project on the recommendation of the coroner’s report into a fatal crash on the road 10 years ago, but that this had not been spent, and might be available for reallocation if the proposal to reduce the speed limit on the stretch of road was implemented.

RESOLVED that Council notes the latest position on the 2012/13 element of the Capital Plan, and approves the recommendations of the Strategic Investment Group to allocate capital funding as specified in Appendix 4a of the report.

Councillor Jason McLellan offered his congratulations to Prestatyn Town Football Club who had reached the Welsh FA Cup Final, where they will play Bangor City.

The meeting concluded at 3:20 p.m.