Archived decisions

    AT A MEETING of the HAMPSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE held at Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, Eastleigh on 29 October, 2009.

PRESENT:

Councillors: I.F.E. Beagley (Chairman); C. Carter; A. Carew; A. Evans; L. Fairhurst; F. Pearce; R.H. Price; R. Smith.

7. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors D. Simpson and A. Weeks.

8. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members were mindful that, where they believed they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should normally, at the time of debate, declare their interest and having regard to the circumstances described in paragraphs 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the Fire Authority's Code of Conduct consider whether to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 12 of the Code.

There were no declarations of interest made by Members under this item.

9. MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 30 July, 2009 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

10. DEPUTATIONS

There were no deputations to the meeting.

11. BUDGET MONITORING : 2ND QUARTER 2009/10

The Committee considered the report of the Treasurer and Chief Officer (Item 5 in the Minute Book) setting out the latest budget position of the Authority. A combination of lower than anticipated pay awards and favourable pension costs had meant that expenditure was now back on target. As a result there was scope to increase general reserves from next year by carrying forward any underspendings achieved in the current year.

RESOLVED:

    (a) That the latest forecast of budget outturn for 2009/10 be noted.

    (b) That the proposal to increase general reserves from 2010/11 by carrying forward underspendings in 2009/10 be endorsed.

12. PROVISIONAL BUDGET STRATEGY 2010/11 - 2012/13

The Committee considered the report of the Treasurer and Chief Officer (Item 6 in the Minute Book) on the provisional budget strategy for the years 2010/11 - 2012/13. Members supported the approach being taken in relation to the various budget issues raised in the report. However, they recognised that it was difficult to quantify budget pressures due to uncertainty over predictions of inflation, interest rates and pay awards in the present economic climate. The Committee noted that on the rising of this meeting they were to receive an informal briefing by the Treasurer and Chief Officer giving their initial analysis of the 2010/11 budget.

RESOLVED:

That the assessment of funding pressures and planning assumptions set out in the report be endorsed as a basis for preparing the Authority's medium-term financial strategy 2010/11 - 2012/13 and draft budget for 2010/11.

13. EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

RESOLVED:

That, the public be excluded from the meeting during the following item of business, as it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during that item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information within Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, and further that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons set out in the report.

14. VEHICLE REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME : PROGRESS ON CURRENT PROGRAMME AND PROPOSALS FOR THE THREE YEARS 2010/11 TO 2012/13

The Committee considered and approved the exempt report of the Chief Officer (Item 6 in the Minute Book) concerning progress on the Authority's current vehicle replacement programme and on proposals for the next three years' 2010/11 to 2012/13.

[SUMMARY OF EXEMPT MINUTE]

NOTE:
ASSET MANAGEMENT WORKING GROUP
On the rising of the meeting, members of the Asset Management Working Group were given a brief update on current property matters by the Director of Corporate Services. This included progress on the disposals of the Winchester Fire Station site, the former Copnor Fire Station site, the surplus land at Carpenters Down Basingstoke, and the former housing for fire-fighters at Lower Brook Street, Winchester.

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