Agenda item

Report of Director of Strategic Finance.

Barry Dryden, Senior Finance Manager, and Tom Straw, Finance Analyst, presented the report which informs Trustees of the Period 4 forecast outturn 2015/16 for the Bridge Estate, Highfield Leisure Park Trust and Harvey Hadden Stadium.

The following points were highlighted:

Bridge Estate

(a)  there is a £33,720 total surplus which could be invested in property if Trustees so wish;

(b)  a structural survey of Trent Bridge takes place every two years by bridge specialists to ensure it is fit and safe for purpose;

(c)  a contingency budget is held for the ongoing general maintenance of the bridge;

(d)  consideration will be given to value for money and the predicted life span of any paints used on the bridge.

Councillors queried whether it would be feasible to consider a double standard of paint with regard to surfaces which were visible and those which merely required coverage. Richard Cox, Senior Estates Surveyor responded that it may be possible to paint every five years instead of every 10 years but this should be raised with highways colleagues.

Trustees were also concerned at the speed and severity of erosion of the sandstone in some areas of the bridge but specifically along the roadside, and requested further information on what was causing this erosion and how it could be addressed.

It is noted that all costs for highway maintenance on the bridge are shared between Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council.

Harvey Hadden Stadium Trust

(e)  as the stadium is newly finished, at this point it is difficult to predict any under/overspend for 2015/16;

(f)  the £82,410 for grounds maintenance will include the cost of groundsmen to maintain the stadium and a small part of the park, but not the whole park as this is the responsibility of Nottingham City Council. The cost prediction has been provided by the Parks and Open Spaces Section;

(g)  although it is a new building and repairs should be minimal, it is prudent that a building repairs budget is in place.

Highfields Leisure Park

(h)  the Parks and Open Spaces Team manage Highfield Park and informs the Trust of the cost for grounds maintenance, which is £201,110 for 2015/16, based on the predicted or known time spent working in the park;

(i)  the improvement of the park focused on raising the standard to ensure a higher quality facility which would attract more people.

RESOLVED

(1)  to note the report;

(2)  with regard to Trent Bridge, Highways colleagues are to be invited to attend a future meeting to inform the committee of:

(i)  the process undertaken to assess the structural integrity and planned maintenance of Trent Bridge;

(ii)  information on the causes of and solutions to the erosion of the roadside sandstone;

(iii)  alternatives to the current painting schedule and materials used;

(iv)  in advance of any renovation programme, suggestions as to how the maintenance and monitoring regimes of the bridge could be improved;

(3)  with regard to the newly built Harvey Hadden Stadium, members requested detailed information on the residual costs which are not covered by the building warranty;

(4)  for the Parks and Open Spaces Team to report to the next meeting with:

(i)  a more detailed breakdown of the £201,110 cost for 2015/16 grounds maintenance of Highfields Park;

(ii)  a progress report on the improvement work at Highfields Park.