City of York Council is pledging to tackle delays in projects like improved street lighting and repairs to schools by spending the cash earmarked for the schemes this year - resulting in a boosted council budget.

Members of the council's executive will be told next week (Friday, July 12) that there was an underspend last year of £980,000. This amounts to less than one percent of the expenditure budget.

Simon Wiles, the council's acting director of resources, said, "With an expenditure budget of £250 million and an income budget of £112 million, an underspend of less than one percent is a creditable performance."

The underspend of £980,000 is after bringing forward funding of £1.6m into this financial year. This boost to funding will enable projects to be carried out that were delayed last year, making sure that the city does not lose out.

Some of the extra projects include: £230,000 will be spent on a number of local street lighting schemes £200,000 on completing crucial repairs to council buildings, especially schools £130,000 going into the schools standards fund £150,000 for investment in York's museums £120,000 for the York Central regeneration project

Leader of the council, Councillor Dave Merrett, said, "This is good news for the people of York with £1.6m extra going to into services this year.

"Far from cancelling projects because of delays the council is determined to see them through and we are already seeing the extra money going into a variety of schemes.

"I am a bit disappointed by the slightly larger-than-expected underspend at the year's end but I will be looking for a report on how we can improve on that."

Most of the underspend is due to one-off events late in the financial year. With exceptionally good weather in March the city saw an upsurge in visitors helping to boost council income from car parking and the city's museums.

Some of the council's savings projects have also delivered unexpectedly high results. Council officers have been working to reduce the amount of business rates that have to be paid on council occupied property and this alone has resulted in savings of over £200,000.

However, the report to next week's executive does highlight areas where the council can improve its projections about spending patterns.

Mr Wiles said, "We have well-established and effective systems to monitor our financial performance and ensure that the taxpayers' money is spent wisely.

"However, we are always looking for ways to improve and this report helps to focus in on certain areas. My staff will be working on this in the coming months and will report back to council members in September."

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