Agenda item

The Committee was reminded that one of its Terms of Reference was “to act as a consultative forum on the funding raised by, and utilisation of the King’s Lynn Special Expenses, and to offer input on priorities for this expenditure and if appropriate the level of funds to be raised”.

 

The Committee was informed that the Local Government Finance Act 1992 defined a Local Authority’s Special Expenses.  It stated that Special Expenses were any expenses incurred by the authority in performing in a part of its area, a function performed elsewhere by a Parish Council.

 

The Committee noted that Special Expenses were currently charged for:

 

·        Footway lighting

·        Play areas

·        Community centres

·        Closed churchyards

·        Allotments

·        Pavilions

·        Dog bins

·        Open spaces; and

·        Bus shelters.

 

It was explained that the total cost of Special Expenses was met by the Council tax payers of King’s Lynn.  The annual charge to residents was made through an addition to the Council tax bill.

 

It was reported that during 2017, the Committee reviewed elements of the special expenses charge and a summary of recommendations were outlined in the report.

 

The Committee’s attention was drawn to Section 1.4 of the report and it was explained that £46.59 was currently being charged for Band D for 2017/18.

 

The Executive Director – Finance explained that during 2017, the Committee had reviewed elements of the Special Expenses charge and a summary of the recommendations made on the topics was reported.

 

It was explained that the special expenses charged in 2017/2018 would be used as the basis for the calculation for 218/2019.   The estimates had been reviewed and updated to reflect current costs and there was an estimated reduction in costs of £1,040.

 

The Executive Director – Finance highlighted the main movements as set out in the report in relation to:

 

·        Footway lighting

 

Councillor Joyce stated that he was surprised to see a 30% increase in electricity costs.  He asked for assurance that going forward on-going electricity costs should be balanced out by the Refit programme.

 

The Leader explained that the Refit programme would look at other alternative technologies when they became available. 

 

The Chairman asked whether the Refit programme would look at what lights were actually needed or not.

 

The Executive Director – Commercial Services advised that a member of staff would be assessing all the street lights.  It was explained that as the light levels would be higher it might be possible for there to be less lights in certain locations. 

 

The Executive Director asked that if any member had any areas where street lights could be reduced or needed to be increased then to let him know.

 

·        Community Centre costs

 

The Executive Director – Finance explained that a business rates valuation specialist had been appointed by the Council to review the valuation of all the council assets following the business rates revaluation from 1 April 2017 and this would include community centres and pavilions.

 

Councillor Joyce referred to the business rates of the Dutton Pavilion at £21,000 as opposed to the business rates of King’s Lynn Football Club which was £9,100.  He added that the Football Club had changing rooms, a bar and restaurant but the business rates were only half the cost of the Dutton Pavilion.  The Executive Director – Finance explained that this would be referred to the specialist to investigate as part of their review. 

 

Councillor Joyce also referred to relief for groups using the South Lynn Community Centre.

 

The Committee was informed that the Council could not award itself rate reliefs that might be awarded to charities.  The Executive Director – Finance further explained that valuations for business rates were complex, which was why the Council had engaged a specialist to carry out the review.  The Council can, however, look at how the lease could be structured, to reflect the uses and take advantage of reliefs if possible.

 

Councillor Joyce queried whether the pavilions and community centres should be charged to King’s Lynn Special Expenses. 

 

The Leader referred to the pavilion at Terrington St Clement, where the whole cost was met by the Parish Council and was used by the local football team but also away teams. 

 

Councillor Joyce suggested setting up a charity for the King’s Lynn facilities to be investigated.  The Executive Director – Commercialisation explained that this had been looked at but the costs did not stack up.

 

·        Allotment costs

 

The Executive Director – Finance reported that allotment costs had reduced by £3,770 mainly due to a reduction in the maintenance budget.  It was estimated that additional income of £14,970 would be raised in 2018/19.

 

·        Open Spaces costs

 

The Executive Director – Finance pointed out an error and it should read hedge trimming was twice a year rather than 12 times.

 

Councillor Mrs S Collop stated that the Borough Council should not be cutting Norfolk County Council grass any more times than what the Council was being paid for. 

 

The Executive Director – Commercial Services advised that Norfolk County Council grass cutting was not charged to King’s Lynn Special Expenses.  He also advised that the Borough Council did not cut grass on Freebridge land.  He undertook to send Councillor Mrs Wilkinson and Howman a map of the public open space in their area and who was responsible for cutting grass.

 

The Leader explained that grass cutting was an emotive subject but he wanted King’s Lynn to have the best appearance it could afford.  He added that it was much better to cut the grass together than leave NCC grass uncut.

 

Councillor Middleton added that most Parish Councils were of the same opinion and if they wanted the grass cut more then they often had to find extra money for it to be carried out.

 

·        Bus Shelter costs

 

It was noted that bus shelter costs had decreased by £2,040 due to estimated additional income from advertising.

 

The Committee’s attention was drawn to paragraph 2.7 of the report, where it explained that the total council tax support grant available would reduce in 2018/19 by 32% in line with the reduction in the Council’s overall revenue support grant.

 

The Committee noted the current estimate of Special Expenses charge for 2018/19, which was subject to change as the budgets were reviewed during the budget setting process.

 

Public Toilets

 

The Committee discussed whether both sets of toilets in the Walks should remain open or whether one set should be closed.  The Committee also discussed the proposal to charge 80% of costs to special expenses.  Some Members of the Committee felt that the 80% charge was too high given the footfall for larger events which were held in the Walks.  It was explained that the Borough did receive income when the events were held.

 

The Executive Director – Commercialisation explained that to rebuild a set of toilets would be in the region of £75,000 to £100,000.

 

Councillor Mrs Collop informed the Committee that the E&C Panel had recommended that the toilets at Gaywood remained open.

 

The Chairman added that he considered that Gaywood should have a set of toilets.

 

The Executive Director – Commercialisation explained that this was an emotive subject but the toilets at Gaywood had been in a terrible condition before their closure.  He added that they had been closed for 7 months now and there had not been many complaints regarding their closure.  In relation to the £10,000 costs for the toilets, he explained that there were a lot of other things that the money could be spent on in King’s Lynn.

 

Councillor Joyce agreed that the Gaywood toilets were far from adequate and he suggested that the Executive Director could carry out some realistic costings for their replacement in the future.

 

Councillor Middleton proposed that the Gaywood toilets should remain closed, with the two sets of toilet at the Walks remaining open with an 80% charge to King’s Lynn Special Expenses.  This was seconded by Councillor Joyce who added that costs and plans be evaluated and reported back to the Committee on building a new set of facilities.  This was put to the vote and carried.

 

Increase in Special Expenses Charge

 

Councillor Joyce proposed that the Band D charge should be increased to £2.50.  This would be to help offset the reduction in the revenue support grant and to allow a small amount of money to be used to market Community Centres and other priorities to be identified by KLACC.  This increase would encompass the increase for the Parish Partnership Scheme and Public Toilets.  This was seconded by Councillor Middleton and agreed by the Committee.

 

Recommendations:

 

The Committee was invited to make recommendations to Cabinet on the King’s Lynn Special Expenses, in line with their current terms of reference.

 

Councillor Mrs Collop, as Ward Member, asked for her vote to be recorded against recommendation (3).

 

(1)        That the underspend reported at 2017/2018 year end on charges made to King’s Lynn Special Expenses be transferred to the reserves to provide matched funding for future bids against the Parish Partnership Scheme.

 

(2)        That the Parish Partnership Funding for 2018/19 is recovered over 5 years –as outlined in option (a) of the report.

 

(3)        That in relation to public toilets, the Gaywood toilets are to remain closed but costs and plans be evaluated and reported back to the Committee on building a new set of facilities.  The Broadwalk and Management Building toilets in the Walks to remain open with 80% of costs charged to Special Expenses.

 

(4)        The Committee recommends an increase of £2.50 in Special Expenses resulting in a Band D charge of £49.09 which encompasses the increase for the Parish Partnership Scheme and Public Toilets.

 

(5)        That Councillors G Middleton be nominated to represent the Committee’s view to Cabinet.

 

(6)        That Councillor J Collop be nominated to speak to Cabinet under Standing Order 34.