Subject: | Sports Capital Projects Budget Transfers |
Exempt Clause: | | Date: | 17th October 2008 |
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Author: | Julie Harris |
Introduction
The Department’s 2007 Equipment Replacement budget (ERYC30) is overspent by £38,953 caused by the urgent replacement of fencing at FB Fields.
The Department has a balance of budget on capital vote, Urgent Glazing at Fort Regent (ERYC10), amounting to £44,367 which it wishes to request the Treasurer of the States, in accordance with Financial Direction 6.2 (paragraph 5.8), to transfer to meet the overspend. This will leave a minor balance of budget which it is proposed is transferred to Equipment Replacement 2008 (ERYC31) to use against minor capital projects foregone in 2007.
Background
FB Fields Fencing
In 2007 a Condition Survey of fencing at sites within the remit of the Sport Division was carried out to enable a rolling programme of replacement and refurbishment to be established. The Survey identified that the fencing at the FB Fields site needed to be urgently replaced to meet health and safety requirements.
The cost should have been borne by Property Holdings in accordance with section 1.1 of the Service Level Agreement applicable to Sport & Leisure Division Facilities (version No. 1 – January 2007), ‘Across all properties, the Property Holdings Department operates with Property Holdings Maintenance Section to act as Landlord responsible for maintaining the integrity of the building envelope and security of the premises.’, however, it was apparent that no funding would be available from this source. Due to the urgency of the work, the fencing was replaced at a total cost of £90,145.73 from the 2007 minor capital budget provided for Equipment Replacement.
It is unlikely that funding will be reimbursed by Property Holdings.
Urgent Glazing at Fort Regent
In 2000, Sports Leisure & Recreation requested £250,000 as part of a Phased Glazing Programme to replace all glazing at Fort Regent. The aim of this program was to conform to more stringent health and safety requirements, create energy savings and improve environmental conditions. The total cost of this project was estimated to be more than £800,000 and due to officers concerns that this was a project ‘way above the maximum for minor capital’ the Policy and Resources Committee allocated £100,000 in 2001, ‘…based on 10% urgent repair.’ and a further £115,000 in 2002 which was, ‘…a reduced sum to fund feasibility study and further emergency works in advance of Fort Regent redevelopment.’ In all, the total minor capital allocation for this project came to £215,000.
This fund has since been used to improve specific high risk areas and other places as needs arose. All of the urgent repairs have now been undertaken to meet current health and safety requirements eg. such as reinforcing the glazing with protective film at lower levels to avoid it shattering on impact. There are no more foreseeable urgent glazing requirements.
Out of the £215,000 allocated to urgent repairs there is a balance of £44,366.67 remaining in this fund to date, the main reason being that the original request was based on a program to replace all glazing, not just the urgent repairs.
Equipment Replacement 2007
The Sport Division’s annual minor capital allocation was reduced from £250,000 in 2006 to £100,000 in 2007. This balance is required to invest in equipment and essential refurbishment of the facilities to provide the best level of service and maintain the highest possible standards across the centres and playing fields. This is essential as the Sports Division operates in a commercial and competitive environment within the island and needs to ensure that income targets can be achieved each year.
As this fund was used to meet the costs of the replacement fencing at FB fields in 2007, the Division had to forego using an estimated £51,200 towards minor capital projects in 2007.
To date there is a £38,952.91 overspend in this fund
Balance of Minor Capital Accounts as at end September 2008
| Total Budget | Exp to end Sept | Variance |
ERYC10 Urgent Glazing at Fort Regent | 215,000 | 170,633.33 | 44,366.67 |
ERYC30 Equipment Replacement 2007 | 100,000 | 138,952.91 | (38,952.91) |
ERYC31 Equipment Replacement 2008 | 100,000 | 38,562.95 | 61,437.01 |
Transferring these balances as requested would result in a total balance of £5,413.76 being transferred to 2008 Equipment Replacement fund
| Total Budget | Exp to end Sept | Variance |
ERYC31 Equipment Replacement 2008 | 100,000 | 33,149.19 | 66,850.81 |
Recommendation
It is recommended that SMT approves the transfer of the balance of the Glazing fund at Fort Regent to the Equipment Replacement 2007 fund to clear the overspend and transfer the balance to Equipment Replacement 2008 for future minor capital projects.