The Chairman introduced the latest financial statement for 2018-19, that confirms a projected overspend on service budgets of £3,194,000. The Council had General Fund Reserves of £8,265,000.

Cabinet were informed that there had been two good news stories from the Local Government Settlement:

Negative Revenue Support Grant.  This was due to cost the Royal Borough about £2,000,000 but following Local Government Association intervention and the Royal Borough lobbying of the Prime Minister the Government had confirmed that here would be no RSG applied to local authorities.

Business Rates Pilot.  About £3,000,000 had been received this year and this success would be continued into 2019/20 that could also generate addition income.

The pressures around vulnerable children and the loss of car parking income due to increased used of the advantage card continued to be offset by mitigating actions and additional income as previously reported.

Cabinet were informed that there were additional recommendations for consideration.  The capital budget of £489,000 for the Maidenhead Waterways project.  Appendix G provided a breakdown of expenditure and showed that the Royal Borough had provided over £8 million with an additional £2 million coming from S106 income.

Section 5.12 of the report detailed the capital budget of £489,000 for the Waterways weir that was required as all  the submitted tenders were above the consultants estimated amount. 

The Chairman asked when the work was due to start and was informed that this would be March 2019 and last for about 18 weeks. The Chairman said that this was a complex project that was unique in its nature and that additional measures had been undertaken following earlier fallings by others.

The Maidenhead Waterways Champion reported that it was disappointing that all the tenders were above the expected amount but the proposed work was important for the waterways project and would also support regeneration work.

The final recommendation was regarding a capital budget of £40,000 for access works to Ray Mill Island.  The bridge was already open and well used.  The Lead Member for Culture and Communities reported that the bridge linked Taplow with Maidenhead  and that the additional funding was to make improvements to the park entrance road, bridge and retaining wall.

The Deputy Lead Member for Ascot Regeneration asked for clarification on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) pressure and if this was a pressure for the council.  Cabinet were informed the pressure was a national issue regarding support for those with special educational needs.  The Government had indicated that the risk would sit with local authorities as it sat on their balance sheets but this was not clear as they had also issues a consultation that suggested that there would be no transfer of funds from local authorities.  The director did not recommend the council commit any funds at this stage.  It was noted that the Schools Forum were looking at resolving the deficit and £460,000 had been voluntarily given by schools.

Resolved unanimously: that Cabinet:

i) Notes the Council’s projected outturn position for 2018-19 and notes work

undertaken to identify mitigations to deal with pressures.

ii) Approves a capital budget of £489,000 for the Maidenhead Waterways project. (see para 5.12 and Appendix G).

iii) Approves a capital budget of £40,000 for access works to Ray Mill Island

which have been brought forward to 2018-19 (see para 5.13).