Agenda item

7.1

The Committee considered a report of the Community Services Manager that advised each Local Area Committee had a £100,000 budget to address local priorities, identified within their respective Community Plans. The report set out details of the spend in respect of the £100,000 that had been authorised by the Community Services Manager, in consultation with the LAC Chair and in accordance with the delegation granted in September 2021.

7.2

The report showed funding allocated to the Central Local Area Committee for 2024/25, and set out proposals for its allocation and expenditure in line with the Central Local Area Committee Community Plan.

7.3

RESOLVED: That the Central Local Area Committee;

  1.  agrees the approach set out for use of the 2024/25 budget to address local priorities in the Central LAC Community Plan as detailed in the report, and;

  2.  authorises the Community Services Manager to make decisions on expenditure from any budgets allocated to the Central Local Area Committee provided that:

     • The decision was taken in consultation with the Local Area Committee Chair   and Committee members;

     • Spending was in line with any specific purposes of the allocated budget;

     • The decision may not approve expenditure of more than £10,000;

     • A report detailing the delegated spending decisions taken by the Community Services Manager is presented to the next Local Area Committee meeting.

7.4

Reason for Decisions

The Central LAC was asked to approve the broad allocation of funding under the priority headings identified to assist its ability to monitor its budget, and to authorise the Community Services Manager in consultation with the Local Area Committee Chair and Committee to approve expenditure above the current delegated authority in certain circumstances so that delivery of the Community Plan was not delayed.

7.5

Alternative Options Considered

The Local Area Committee could choose not to allocate budgets at this time, but this would delay projects and facilities for local communities.

All decisions on expenditure to support the Community Plan priorities could be delegated to officers, however this would restrict and undermine the Local Area Committee’s ability to monitor its delegated budget and delivery of the Community Plan.