Item 11 - General Services Capital Budgetary Control Report 2025/26 to 30 June 2025 (Period 3).
West Dunbartonshire Council · 27 August 2025
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Chief Officer – Resources Council: 27 August 2025 _________________________________________________________________ Subject: General Services Capital Budgetary Control Report 2025/26 to 30 June 2025 (Period 3). 1. Purpose 1.1 This report provides an update on the General Services capital financial performance to 30 June 2025. 2. Recommendations 2.1 Members are asked to: a) Note the current position of the 2025/26 General Services capital budget. b) Approve the additional capital budget of £0.013m in respect of Vale of Leven Cemetery detailed in Appendix 2. c) Approved the revised completion dates in respect of 4 projects detailed in Appendix 2. d) Approve the reprofiling of 7 projects in appendix 3 of (£7.118m) over the project life. e) Approve £0.150m of additional capital budget for traffic signage and road markings (Para 4.8) to support the enforcement of decriminalised parking enforcement. 3. Background 3.1 On 5 March 2025 the Council approved the updated General Services Capital Plan for 2025/2026 to 2034/35. The three years from 2025/26 to 2026/28 were approved in detail with the remaining years being indicative. The budget agreed was £73.780m for 2025/26 and £307.818m for the project life budget. 4. Main Issues 4.1 Exhibit 1 sets out the revised capital budget at period 3 assuming approval by Council of all recommendations contained within this report. Exhibit 1: Revised Capital Budget as at 30 June 2025. 2025/26 (£m) Project Life (£m) Capital Budget Agreed 5 March 2025 73.780 307.818 Additional budget for Capital agreed at Council 6 0.095 0.575 ITEM 11
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March 2024 (Para 4.7) Reprofiling from 2024/25 4.809 4.565 Reprofiling over project life (Appendix 3) (7.118) 0 Additional budget for Capital agreed at Council 5 March 2025 (Para 4.7) 0 0.150 Additional budget for Hot Box Vehicles per Management Adjustment RN09 agreed at Council 18 December 2024 (Para 4.7) 0.800 0.800 Approved Capital Bid – Roads Lining and Signing (Para 4.8) 0.150 0.150 Funding to be returned for Regeneration Capital Grant Funding for Clydebank Activity Centre (Para 4.9) (0.717) (0.717) Additional spend Vale of Leven Cemetery (Para 4.3) 0.013 0.013 Proposed revised Capital Budget as at Period 3 71.812 313.354 4.2 Progress against the 2025/26 capital plan is detailed in: Appendix 1 – Project Life Summary by Chief Officer Appendix 2 – Off Track Projects Appendix 3 – Changes to Capital Plan for Noting Appendix 4 – All Approved Projects 4.3 The overall programme summary report at Appendix 1 shows that planned expenditure against the budget is currently off track by £0.013m for the Vale of Leven Cemetery. The additional spend was as a result of more imported soil being required than was originally anticipated at design stage. 4.4 Appendix 2 highlights 5 projects currently showing as off-track, 4 of which are due to revised completion dates and 1 as a result of the overspend in the Vale of Leven Cemetery. Project RN16 (Vale of Leven Cemetery) is off track due to an overspend of £0.013m as reported above (Para 4.3). Project RR 2 (Installation of Solar PV at Clydebank Leisure Centre) is off track due to planning permission and building control requirements. This means that the project end date has been extended by 1 year to 31 March 2027. Project RR 3 (Leisure Energy projects – air handling units, upgrade lighting, circulating pumps and draught proofing) is off track due to a revised completion date as the cost submitted through the single tender framework was double the budget allocated. This means there is insufficient budget to deliver the project, the council is not being asked to approve further capital allocation at the current time as officers will first explore alternative delivery approaches to achieve the intended
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outcomes within existing resource. The completion date for the project has been extended to 31 March 2027 while this is ongoing. Project RR 7 (Levelling Up Fund) is off track due to the project delivery taking longer than initially expected. Resulting in an updated completion date of 31 December 2026. Project RR 10 (Clyde Mission Catalyst Fund) is off track due to project development taking longer than expected as timescales of the external partner are outwith our control. The project completion date has been extended by a year to the 31 March 2027. 4.5 Appendix 3 highlights 7 projects where the expenditure requires to be reprofiled to future years with no change to the project life budget. 4.6 Appendix 4 shows all projects with approved in year budgets and project life budgets as well as forecast expenditure. It highlights that the 2025/26 budget is £71.799m. Spend as at period 3 is £7.470m (10.39%) of the current forecast spend of £71.812m. 4.7 Other minor changes to the capital plan included in the summarised plan in appendix 4 are: The Community Sports Facility at Millburn (RES 12) of £0.500m and Holm Park Community Football Academy Accessibility Project (RES 13) of £0.075m are expected to incur costs in 2025/26 and have been added onto the Capital Plan. These items were previously omitted from the capital plan as they had been managed through operational arrangements but were approved by Council on the 6th of March 2024. It was agreed at the council meeting on the 5th of March 2025 that the cost of living capital fund would contribute £0.150m towards a new football pitch at Faifley Knowes (RES 14). The purchase of hot box vehicles in line with the Management Adjustment RN09 taken at Council on the 18th of December 2024 (included in RN 5). At the time of approval cost was unknown, this has now been confirmed at £0.800m and can be added to the capital plan. 4.8 Members are asked to approve a capital budget of £0.150m to fund the signage and road markings to support decriminalised parking enforcement. This bid has been reviewed by the Strategic Asset Management Group who recommend that £0.150m is added to the Capital plan to allow the Roads and Neighborhoods team to implement decriminalised parking enforcement. This project has been included in appendix 4 (RN 30). 4.9 Scottish Government has requested that the grant funding for Clydebank Activity Centre be returned due to the original community groups withdrawing their interest because of external funding issues. Regeneration approached
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Scottish Government with a proposal from a different local group and a departure from the original proposal but this was unsuccessful. The £0.717m removed from the capital plan at the moment is the unspent budget for this project with £0.040m already outlaid. We are awaiting confirmation from Scottish Government on whether professional fees and other outlays commissioned are required to be returned. Shown on appendix 4 under RR 10. 5. Option Appraisal 5.1 No option appraisal was required for this report. 6. People Implications 6.1 There are no people implications. 7. Financial and Procurement Implications 7.1 The report notes the projected in-year financial position for capital budgets. 8. Risk Analysis 8.1 The main risks are as follows: (a) The reported variances should be viewed in the knowledge that there are a number of variable factors which could arise between now and 31 March which could affect the year end results for capital budgets. (b) As a consequence of current market conditions, inflation is high and interest rates continue to be volatile. To forecast for the full year costs budget assumptions have been required. These assumptions continue to change regularly and therefore it is likely the projected year end budgetary position will change from that reported. 9. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 9.1 No equalities impact assessment was required in relation to this report. 10. Environmental Sustainability 10.1 No assessment of environmental sustainability was required in relation to this report. 11. Consultation 11.1 All services involved in delivering the capital budgets have been consulted in the compilation of this report. 12. Strategic Assessment
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12.1 Proper budgetary control and sound financial practice are cornerstones of good governance and support Council and officers to pursue the strategic priorities of the Council’s current Strategic Plan. This report forms part of the financial governance of the Council. ______________ Laurence Slavin Chief Officer – Resources Date: 21 July 2025 Person to Contact: Lynsey Dickson Council Offices, Church Street, Dumbarton E-mail: lynsey.dickson@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1 – Project Life Summary by Chief Officer Appendix 2 – Off Track Projects Appendix 3 – Changes to Capital Plan for Noting Appendix 4 – All Approved Projects Background Papers: General Services Capital Plan Update - Council 6 March 2024 General Services Capital Plan Update - Council 5 March 2025 Wards Affected All Wards