Decision details

22.1     The Cabinet considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer.

22.2     It was RESOLVED to:

1) note the 2022/23 Outturn for the Conservators’ Core and Countryside Stewardship budgets; and

2) approve the contribution of £23,013 to offset the deficit on the Conservators’ Core Budget for 2022/23.

Reason

22.3     While the Council has a statutory obligation to meet the shortfall between expenditure and income of the Conservators’ Core Budget, it also has the responsibility for approving the level of expenditure. It is recognised that the 2022/23 deficit in the Core Budget has arisen primarily from the delay in implementing the car park charging scheme, the provision for a potential H&S Executive claim and the write off of historical bad debt which was not wholly foreseeable when the budget was agreed. 

22.4     A financial contribution to the Conservators of Ashdown Forest of £23,013, being the adjusted Core Budget operational deficit of £82,861 less the adjustments for non-cash accounting items and the provision for the HSE penalty totalling £59,848 will offset the deficit on the Conservators’ Core Budget for 2022/23