Vale Cabinet member for Finance, Cllr Robert Sharp, has published his draft budget for review. Cabinet will consider it on Friday 3 Feb at 9:30. Councillors will be briefed by Finance team on Tuesday 7th Feb, and Scrutiny will review and feedback on Friday 7th at 19:00. Cabinet and Scrutiny meetings are open to the public, at the council offices in Milton Park. The final version goes to full council on 15 Feb, 19:00 at The Beacon in Wantage.
Previously I posted the growth bid we submitted for leisure provision in Botley: http://cllrdebbyhallett.com/2016/11/24/botley-leisure-provision/
The draft budget includes £20,000 for a two-days-per-week leisure officer to help Botley plan for what we want up at Louie Memorial fields.
There isn’t yet a commitment to the capital over two years to do the build. But here’s the plan:
“The use of capital receipts in relation to the redevelopment of West Way in Botley will be considered upon receipt. This will include a review of potential projects in the local area as well as investment opportunities to replace the loss of income from West Way. No adjustment to the capital programme is proposed at this stage to take account of either the capital receipt or any relevant expenditure.”
That basically means they don’t commit at this point to building out the pavilion scout hut, skate park and other things we’ve asked for. But if and when the profits from the sale of West Way assets are received, they will consider using some of the money for local projects. Which means our Botley Leisure project that the 2 days a week officer will help organise. !!
The other thing you may have seen (I put it on Facebook): the Leisure studies of community facilities, which are part of the evidence for the Local Plan part 2, came to Scrutiny last week. In them, one of the High Priority projects for 2018/19 and 2019/20 is “replace or refurbish Louie Memorial Pavilion and the scout hut.”
The budget takes effect in May 2017, so let’s be ready to work that officer to the full two days a week!
It’s pretty good news, after all these years of hard work.