Contact: Frances Martin, Community Strategy Officer ext 5122

[email protected]

1. Summary

1.1. The following decision is sought:

To approve in principle the carry forward of any unspent budget, and unspent committed allocations at the end of 2003/04 into 2004/05, but in view of the usual corporate policy of allowing only 50% of service underspend to be carried forward, subject to a final decision on the closure of the 2003/04 accounts.

2. Reasons:

2.1 Two important initiatives which were allocated funds in 2003/04 have not been completed in this financial year therefore it is requested that the funds to complete these projects are carried forward into 2004/05.

2.2 This decision supports Aim 4 of the Corporate Strategy (Building Strong and Safe Communities) by working together with local people to build strong and safe communities for everyone.

3. Other Options considered and rejected: Not to approve these allocations

4. Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision maker or a member or

officer consulted - Not applicable.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: Date: 8 April 2004

Councillor K Thornber -----------------------------

Contact: Frances Martin, Community Strategy Manager Ext: 5122

e-mail: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1.1 This report details a request to carry forward the unspent budget, and unspent committed allocations, at the end of 2003/04 into 2004/05.

2. Background

2.1 A budget for supporting projects derived from the County Council's statutory duty to prepare a community strategy has been set up and in 2003/04 this included a budget of £200,000 for pump priming the Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) and to develop further community strategies.

2.2 Each of the 11 LSP's are encouraged to bid for money from this budget to support the development of their LSPs and for the pump priming of projects.

2.3 The budget is also available for the development and implementation of the Hampshire Strategic Partnership.

2.4 The Chief Executive can approve amounts of less than £2000. The Executive Member for Community Development and Regeneration can approve amounts between £2000 and £5000. Amounts exceeding £5000 must be approved by the Executive Member and referred, with a recommendation to the Leader for decision.

2.5 This decision supports Aim 4 of the Corporate Strategy (Building Strong and Safe Communities) by working together with local people to build strong and safe communities for everyone.

3. The underspend as at end 2003/04

3.1 The unspent funds from 2002/03 (£119,252) were carried over to the budget for this financial year (2003/04). Added together this gave a total of £309,252. The total commitments in relation to the current budget is £275,781 leaving £33,470 (see attached appendix A).

3.2 The total commitments of £275,781 include an allocation of £60,000, which was approved in July 2003 to support the regeneration of Rowner: this has not been spent in 2003/04 but activities on this project indicates an early need (in 2004/05) to use this allocation. A further allocation of £20,000 was approved in September 2003, to fund a Social Inclusion officer to support the RETIS programme. £10,000 of this has been spent in 2003/04 leaving £10,000 unspent but committed through the post until October 2004.

3.3 It is therefore suggested that approval is given in principle for these unspent amounts to be carried forward with the £33,470, making £103,470, over to 2004/05. As the usual corporate policy would only allow 50% of any Policy and Resources underspend to be automatically carried forward, a final decision will need to await consideration of the County Council's final accounts.

Recommendations

It is recommended that the Executive Member:

1. To approve in principle the carry forward of any unspent community planning budget, and unspent committed allocations at the end of 2003/04 into 2004/05, but in view of the corporate policy of allowing only 50% of service underspend to be carried forward, that this be subject to a final decision on the closure of the 2003/04 accounts.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

File FM Exec Member Location: Community planning/committee

reports