April 2021 Minutes F&GP Cttee
Minutes of Cherry Willingham Parish Council’s Finance and General Purposes Committee, held Virtually on Friday 9th April 2021, at 10am.
Present: Cllr Brylewski (Chairman) Cllr Fleetwood (Vice-Chairman), Cllr Mellor and Christine Hodgson (RFO) Gill Shaw (Parish Clerk)
No Members of the Public were in Attendance
Meeting started at 10.10am
1. Apologies for Absence
Cllrs Palmer and Lacy sent their apologies and it was RESOLVED to accept their reasons for absence.
2. Councillors declarations of interest, gifts and hospitality.
None.
3. Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Meeting, held on 7th January 2021.
The minutes from the last meeting were approved as a true record and signed.
4. Year End Accounts -RFO
i. To review income and expenditure for 2020/2021
Members had access to the document entitled Final Accounts for the year ending 31st March 2021 showing all Receipts and Payments recorded against the various budget headings.The RFO presented the review and clarified that the Council’s finances were in a strong position and £13,721 will be transferred to Balances.
ii. To resolve to approve the proposed allocation of Balances subject to Full Council approval.
The RFO explained that there is an unpaid bill for Playground work done in the financial year so £2772 is being reserved in Parks. In addition £278 is being carried forward for Cherry Fields Project funding this being unused grant money and a donation.
The amount earned from sale of burial plots is £1485 and this is being added to the existing Burial Ground earmarked fund.
Approximately £10,000 is being added to the General Fund.
The RFO asked members to consider whether an additional amount should be added to the earmarked Burial Fund rather than put in the General Fund. It was suggested that an additional amount of £5000 be added to the Burial Fund.
There is a fund of £10,000 in Balances which is labelled as Development and members discussed whether this could be used for a Future Burial Ground or Allotments.
It was RESOLVED to approve the proposed allocation of balances
ACTION: To go to Full Council for approval.
5. To review the policies pertinent to this committee and resolve to agree to the proposed changes subject to Full Council approval:
a) Financial Regulations – no changes are being proposed.
No changes as this was reviewed recently
b) Risk Management and Asset Management- no changes are being proposed.
There was only one change being that the playground inspections should take place every 4 weeks instead of weekly.
c) Procurement. Add changes to mirror the current Financial Regulations and introduce others to enable the Clerk or RFO to fulfill the duties
The proposed changes clarified that either the Clerk or the RFO can carry out actions and the reference of payment by cheque was changed to bank payments.
d) Accounting Procedures -same as Procurement above
No objections.
e) Grants-no changes are being proposed.
The amount to remain the same at £250.
f) Councillor and Employee Expenses-consider changes to include authorised expenses by volunteers/non-councillors.
This relates to out of pocket expenses ie. mileage when on council business and reimbursement of purchases. There would be a register of Authorised people who could make the claims.
It was RESOLVED to accept all the policies as amended.
ACTION: To go to Full Council for approval.
6. To consider grant applications received from village organisations
No applications had been received
7. To review the fees being charged for use of the Council facilities and resolve to make any changes subject to Full Council approval:
i. Burial Fees
It was proposed to increase the burial charges by a small amount in line with other local parish fees ( see attached fee increases).
ii. Playing Field User Fees
It was proposed to increase the charges by £5 per annum to £205.
iii. Room Hire Fees- Millennium Hall
It was proposed to increase the hourly rate from £5.50 to £6
iv. Contribution to Grass Cutting- Tennis Club
It was proposed to increase the Tennis Clubs yearly contribution to grass cutting from £50 to £55p.
v. Hiring of Community Gazebo
It was proposed that there should be no increase in the fee.
It was RESOLVED to accept all the proposed changes.
ACTION: To go to Full Council for approval.
8. Items for report, or for inclusion in the next agenda.
The Clerk may need a replacement laptop and this was agreed to be put to Full Council.
9. Date of next meeting to be agreed.
The next meeting will be in July at a date to be agreed.