Budget Transfer: Upgrading of Abattoir.

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A decision made (31/01/2007) regarding: Transport and Technical Services Department – Budget Transfer: Upgrading of Abattoir.

Subject:	Transport and Technical Services Department – Budget Transfer: Upgrading of Abattoir
Decision Reference:	MD-T-2007-0012	Exempt clause(s):
Type of Report (oral or written):	Written	Person Giving Report (if oral):
Telephone or e-mail Meeting?		Report File ref:		I:Minister:2007:Ministerial Decisions:MD 00 Budget Transfer: Upgrading of Abattoir
Written Report Title:	Budget Transfer: Upgrading of Abattoir	Written report – Author:		Finance Director
Decision(s): The Minister requests: · that the Minister for the Economic Development Department transfers a budget of £100,000 to contribute towards the costs of upgrading the abattoir. · that the Minister for the Treasury and Resources Department approves the budget transfer from the Economic Development Department as detailed in the body of this report and that the transfer takes effect as at the 31st December 2006.
Reason(s) for decision: To enable the Minister for Economic Development to allocate funds in support of upgrading the abattoir.
Action required: The Finance Director: · to notify the Minister for Economic Development of the Minister’s approval of the transfer of budget for the abattoir upgrade. · to request the Minister for the Treasury and Resources Department to approve the budget transfer as referred to in this report.
Signature: (Minister/ Assistant Minister)			Date of Decision: 31 January 2007

Budget Transfer: Upgrading of Abattoir.

TRANSPORT AND TECHNICAL SERVICES

BUDGET TRANSFERS

Purpose of the Report

The purpose of this report is to seek the Minister for Transport and Technical Services approval to a budget transfer from the Economic Development Department for the purpose of improving the abattoir.

Background

Finance Direction No.3.6 ‘Variations to Heads of Expenditure’ sets out the procedures for the transfer of revenue funds and states that requests for transfers of revenue funds from one Department to another require the prior approval of the Minister for Treasury and Resources and the relevant ministers party to the transfer.

Discussion

The Minister will recall that at the end of 2005 the Over Thirty Month Scheme (OTMS) was lifted in the UK, and that abattoirs which intended to slaughter post OTMS cattle would need to meet strict standards endorsed by the Food Standards Agency (FA) which would involve carcasses from over thirty months cattle being processed in a traceable, segmented way and tested for BSE before they could enter the human food change. New European meet hygiene laws would also come into force from 1st January 2006.

The Minister may further recall that a meat and livestock commission survey did show that that the abattoir required a programme of capital work in order to satisfy the new FSA and the new European Union hygiene laws. An important aspect of meeting the new requirements was to move the knackeryard away from the abattoir, and relocate it with the new animal incinerator.

Due to the animals which were currently disposed of through the OTM scheme being permitted to enter the food chain under the FSA rules, and the expansion to the tender beef, sheep and pig industries the number of animals sent to the abattoir tripled during 2006.

During 2006 a capital vote was transferred from the Economic Development Department to fund the construction costs of the new animal incinerator, the unspent balance at the end of 2006 amounted to £265,000, and any unspent balance would be used to fund the abattoir upgrade.

The Minister for Economic Development has also kindly agreed to transfer £100,000 from the Rural Initiative Scheme to assist with funding the upgrade of the abattoir.

Recommendation

The Minister requestS:

· that the Minister for the Economic Development Department transfers a budget of £100,000 to contribute towards the costs of upgrading the abattoir.

· that the Minister for the Treasury and Resources Department approves the budget transfer from the Economic Development Department as detailed in the body of this report and that the transfer takes effect as at the 31st December 2006.

Reason (s) for Decision

To enable the Minister for Economic Development to allocate funds in support of upgrading the abattoir.

Action Required

The Finance Director:

· to notify the Minister for Economic Development of the Minister’s approval of the transfer of budget for the abattoir upgrade.

· to request the Minister for the Treasury and Resources Department to approve the budget transfer as referred to in this report.

Written by:	Ellen Littlechild, Finance Director

Approved by:	John Richardson, Chief Officer