Issue - meetings

The purpose of this report is to update members on the state of finances of Barham Park Trust and to clarify the split between the Council’s responsibility and the Trust’s. The report explains the level of subsidy given to the Barham Park, as spend on Barham Park is significantly greater than the income generated.

RESOLVED:

i)     That the spend income in 2016/17 and the anticipated financial position in future years be noted;

ii)    That the spend on Barham Park funded by non-Trust resources be noted;

iii)   That the split between Barham Park and the Council and the standardisation of recharges be noted; and

iv)   That officers produce a report reviewing the cost of officer time spend on Barham Park matters, to include a comparative analysis with other council maintained parks in the borough.

Gareth Robinson (Head of Finance) presented a report to the committee on the finances of the Barham Park Trust, clarifying the division of responsibility between the council and the trust and setting out the level of subsidy provided to the trust. Members’ attention was drawn to tables 1 and 2 in the report; the former setting out the significant annual costs borne by the Trust, the latter outlining the extensive use of the council’s revenue budget and Section 106 funds on the park. The report detailed the actions that would be taken to ensure that the costs of maintaining the park would be charged to the Trust, including fixing maintenance costs at £50,231 (plus yearly inflation) which equated to the  proportion of time spent on the park by the council’s public realm contractor Veolia. The council would also seek to isolate the costs associated with planting in the park and proposed to undertake a detailed analysis of the amount of council officer time spent on the park, the results of which would be reported back to the committee at a subsequent meeting

In the ensuing discussion, the committee directed that the report on officer time include a comparative analysis with the borough’s other parks and questioned how officer time would be recorded. Gareth Robinson outlined the range of activity undertaken by council officers in support of the park and advised that salary costs proportionate to the time spent by officers on the park would  be calculated, with a particular focus on time spent over and above what was considered usual for the borough’s parks.  

RESOLVED:

i)     That the spend income in 2016/17 and the anticipated financial position in future years be noted;

ii)    That the spend on Barham Park funded by non-Trust resources be noted;

iii)   That the split between Barham Park and the Council and the standardisation of recharges be noted; and

iv)   That officers produce a report reviewing the cost of officer time spend on Barham Park matters, to include a comparative analysis with other council maintained parks in the borough.