September 2021 Minutes F&GP Cttee
Minutes of Cherry Willingham Parish Council’s Finance and General Purposes Committee, held on Thursday 9th September 2021, at 10am.
Present: Cllr Jenny Robinson (Chairman), Cllr Trahearn (Vice-Chairman),
Cllr Brylewski, Cllr Bridgwood, Cllr Fleetwood and Cllr Barry Robinson.
Christine Hodgson (RFO) and Gill Shaw (Parish Clerk)
No Members of the Public were in Attendance
Meeting started at 10.00am
1. To resolve to receive apologies and accept reasons for absence
Cllr Burge had sent his apologies as he was on holiday.
It was RESOLVED to accept his apologies.
2. Member’s declarations of interest, gifts and hospitality
None.
3. To receive the Notes of the meeting held on 19th July 2021 and agree for them to be signed as a true record.
It was RESOLVED to accept them as a true record and they were duly signed.
4. To note the Conclusion of the External Audit - RFO
The external audit had been passed and displayed as legally required.
Thanks were given to the RFO in preparing the audit.
5. To receive a report on the existing banking arrangements and imminent bank charges and consider transferring some reserved funds into an alternative saver account. Subject to Full Council approval-RFO
The council had three accounts with HSBC, two are Savings Accounts- one with zero balance and one with £3.22. The main account is a Current Account with a balance of approximately £80,000. As from 1st November the bank is changing their terms of business and some charges will apply to the Current Account.There would be a monthly charge of £8 plus some transaction charges. After a debate on whether it would be beneficial to move banks, it was agreed that any potential benefit would not offset the additional work involved. The RFO had also researched other accounts to ascertain whether a better rate of interest could be earned on the money deposited in a Nationwide instant access account which had approximately £56,000. It was agreed that any additional interest was negligible and it was RESOLVED (with one abstention), to recommend to full council that the accounts remain the same with the proviso that it was reviewed whenever interest rates were more favourable.
Thanks were given to the RFO for all her research.
6. To agree to the appointment of a new Internal Auditor to be provided by LALC (Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils) and to agree to the Service Level Agreement. Subject to Full Council approval.
LALC were now offering an internal auditing service which was more comprehensive than the present internal auditors report. They were also offering the audit of burials for an additional £10 which would be very beneficial. It was agreed that a more comprehensive audit was desirable especially as it would include a report to the council. It was also agreed that a comprehensive audit should be done and should be seen to be done by the public and it also offered protection to the employees although it was noted that it may involve more work for the RFO.
It was RESOLVED to recommend to the Full Council to use the recommended LALC internal auditor.
7. To receive an up- date on the pre-renewal Insurance review - RFO
The RFO had reviewed the present insurance cover and recommended that it needed some adjustments as it was dangerous to be under insured. Insurance cover should be no less than 85% of the value. The council were purchasing speed signs and equipment which should be included and at present, the bridge over the Delph was not included.
The insurance premium on renewal in October would be over £1,000 and will have to be approved by the full council.
Thanks to the RFO for her work.
8. To review the Grant application policy/guidelines and agree to any amendments, subject to Full Council approval.
It was agreed to the following amendments:
- The deletion of ‘Grant applications will be considered twice yearly in March and November’
- Add a request for details of membership numbers
- An amendment to the supporting financial documents to include ‘evidence of their current financial status, including where applicable: a copy of their last audited account, current bank statements.’
- Adding ‘the council reserves the right to request additional financial evidence.’
It was RESOLVED to accept the revised policy subject to Full Council approval.
ACTION: Clerk to send the new policy details to local clubs.
9. To agree whether a budget is needed for specialist planning advice and set a limit (Cllr Bridgewood)
The recent Rudgard Avenue planning application had highlighted the complexity of some applications. There was a need,on occasion, for specialist advice and the planning committee had requested that a fund be available should such advice be needed in the future.
Cllr Fleetwood declared an interest that he was the Chairman of both county and district planning committees.
ACTION: Cllr Bridgwood to investigate whether there were any local planning experts and to assess an amount required to go in the fund.
It was RESOLVED that the planning committee could approach the Full Council with a fund request.
10. To consider grant applications received from village organisations.
None received.
11. To consider plans for the Autumn Parish meeting on the 25th October 2021 and agree any actions.
The autumn meeting was due on the 25th October and suggestions were:
- A presentation on the plans for the new marina
- A presentation on the results of the recent survey
- Ideas for next years Jubilee celebrations
- Ideas for projects for the next financial year
ACTION: Clerk to ask Priory Pembroke Academy if refreshments could be made available.
12. Items for report, or for inclusion in the next agenda and date of next meeting to be agreed.
- To look at the provisional committee budgets,
- To agree a provisional council budget and proposed precept.
The meeting due on the 8th October would be postponed until Thursday 4th November at 10am in the Millennium Hall.
The meeting finished at 11.35am