Transfer of budget from the Central Planning Vote and Planning and Environment Capital Projects to fund the Island Plan Review

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A decision made (12.01.2009) to agree to request a transfer of budget from the Central Planning Vote and Planning and Environment Capital Projects to fund the Island Plan Review.

Decision Reference: MD-PE-2009-0007
Decision Summary Title :	Planning and Environment – budget transfer to fund Island Plan Review				Date of Decision Summary:	26th November 2008
Decision Summary Author:	H Whiteman				Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written				Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	Planning and Environment – budget transfer to fund Island Plan Review				Date of Written Report:	26th November 2008
Written Report Author:	H Whiteman				Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Subject: Transfer of budget from the Central Planning Vote and Planning & Environment Capital Projects to fund the Island Plan Review.
Decision(s): The Minister agreed to request a budget transfer from the Treasury and Resources Department of £265,000 from the Central Planning Vote to contribute towards the costs of preparing an Island Plan. In addition the Minister agreed to seek approval from the Minister for the Treasury and Resources Department to the closure of existing capital votes with the unspent balances being transferred to fund the shortfall in the Island Plan Review and the remainder being transferred from the Departments Minor Capital Allocation.
Reason(s) for Decision: The transfers will enable the Minister for Planning and Environment to allocate funds to the Island Plan review ensuring there is sufficient budget to carry put the required activity in producing the plan.
Resource Implications: Financial: A budget transfer from the Central Planning Vote of £265,000
Action required: The Finance Director to notify the Minister for the Treasury and Resources Department of this decision.
Signature:		SMT Approved?		Position:
Date Signed:			Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Transfer of budget from the Central Planning Vote and Planning and Environment Capital Projects to fund the Island Plan Review

PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT

FUNDING FOR ISLAND PLAN REVIEW

Purpose of the Report

The purpose of this report is to seek the Planning and Environment Minister’s approval to the following:

· To request that the Minister for the Treasury and Resources Department transfers a budget of £265,000 from the Central Planning Vote to contribute towards the costs of preparing an Island Plan.

· To request that the Minister for the Treasury and Resources Department approves the closure of existing capital votes with the unspent balances being transferred to fund the shortfall in the Island Plan Review and the remainder being transferred from the Departments Minor Capital Allocation.

Background

Finance Direction No.3.6 ‘Variations to Heads of Expenditure’ sets out the procedures for the transfer of capital funds and states that requests for transfers between existing capital heads of expenditure require the approval of the Minister for Treasury and Resources. In addition confirmation of the agreement of those ministers party to the transfer must be supplied to the Minister for Treasury and Resources and the Treasurer of the States, including the full financial and manpower details of the transfer and any further financial and manpower implications to the transfer.

Discussion

In the States Strategic Plan 2006–2011 the council of Ministers accorded high priority to a review of the Island Plan as a key tool in supporting the delivery of the Strategic Plan. The Minister for Economic Development agreed to transfer £150,000 of his Departments forecast 2006 underspend to a Planning and Environment Capital Vote to assist with meeting the cost of this review. This transfer occurred in January 2007.

On the 25th January 2007 the Council of Ministers considered a report by Mr C Newton, Island Plan Review Project Executive, regarding the proposed scope and process and resources required to deliver the review of the Island Plan. Although a budget of £570,000 had been identified to deliver the project, the Minister did not endorse the costings within the report and maintained his commitment that the review would be completed within a budget of £500,000. Attached at Appendix A is the proposed budget for the Review of the Island Plan based on a total budget of £500,000. The responsible manager has confirmed that this represents value for money and is the minimum spend required to deliver the specification.

Although, funding requests have been sought in various Strategic Planning processes the Council of Ministers has requested that the Department fund the review from “one - off funding from carry forwards or other sources.”

Budget Virements – Capital to Capital

· Transfer from the Treasury and Resources Department - Island Plan Review (£265,000)

In order for the Planning and Environment Department to undertake a review of the Island Plan it will require additional resources in order to:

§ Undertake the work required of the review, including the support studies;

§ Determine and undertake the requisite public engagement and scrutiny of the review’s policies and proposals;

§ Progress the Plan to adoption and publication;

§ Manage the procurement of consultants and project management.

The Treasury and Resources Department has agreed to a transfer of £265,000 from the Central Planning Vote towards the funding of the Island Plan Review providing the department could identify funds to contribute towards the shortfall.

· Closure of existing capital votes

Capital Projects for closure	Total Budget	Total Spend	Transfer	Balance
C0928 – Land Reclamation Feasibility Study	£154,000	£129,641	£24,359	-
C0962 – Planning & Building Applications	£306,000	£291,779	£14,221	-
C0967 – PIIMS	£86,070	£68,170	£17,900	-
Transfer of remaining funds required from Minor Capital Allocation (vote to remain open)
C0969 – P&E Minor Capital	£255,000	£67,044	£28,520	£159,436
Total	£801,070	£556,634	£85,000	£159,436

Recommendations

The Minister is recommended to approve the following:

· to request that the Minister for the Treasury and Resources Department transfers a budget of £265,000 from the Central Planning Vote to contribute towards the costs of preparing an Island Plan.

· The Minister for the Treasury and Resources Department approves to the transfer of £28,520 from the C0969 - P&E minor Capital vote to C0973 – Island Plan Review, along with the amounts listed in the above table transferring unspent balances of those projects which are to be closed (total £56,480).

Reason (s) for Decision

The above transfers will enable the Minister for Planning and Environment to allocate funds to the Island Plan review ensuring there is sufficient budget to carry put the required activity in producing the plan.

Action Required

The Finance Director:

· to notify the Minister for Treasury and Resources of the Minister’s approval of the transfers for the Island Plan.

· to request the Minister for the Treasury and Resources Department to approve all transfers of the decisions referred to in this report.

Written by:	H Whiteman, Senior Management Accountant

Approved by:	E Littlechild, Finance Director

Attachment:	Appendix A

APPENDIX A

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT

ISLAND PLAN REVIEW

REPORT AT 29th September 2008

Island Plan Item		Current Plan Dec 2009
Staff	Project Manager [1]	£70,000
	Consultant – Strategic Options	£30,000
	Consultant – Policy Document	£20,000
	EIP Inspector	£100,000
Research Studies etc.	Retail study	£50,000
	Open space Study	£16,500
	Agriculture Survey	£3,500
	Housing Needs survey	£7,500
	Employment Land Study	£15,000
	Consultation system	£24,000
	Solid Waste Study	£15,000
	Transport Study/Advice	£15,000
	Habitat study	£10,000
Sundries	Printing	£30,000
	Valuation/Viability Advice	£15,000
	Advertising	£20,000
	Miscellaneous	£4,500
£	Total	£446,000
	Budget	£500,000
	Variance/Contingency	£54,000

[1] The cost of the project manager in 2008 is funded from the project budget and in 2009 will be met from the existing P&E Budget. The cost of the project manager in 2008 is funded from the project budget and in 2009 will be met from the existing P&E Budget.