2022 Finance & General Purpose Committee Minutes of Meetings

Minutes of Cherry Willingham Parish Council’s Finance and General Purposes Committee, held on Thursday 6th January 2022 at 10am.

Present: Cllr Jenny Robinson (Chairman), Cllr Trahearn (Vice Chair)

Cllr Brylewski, Cllr Bridgwood, Cllr Burge,  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 any apologies and accept reasons for absence.

There were no absences.

2.   Declarations of Interest: To record declarations of interest by any member of the council in respect of the agenda items listed below. 

Members declaring interests should identify the agenda item and type of interest being declared. 

To note dispensations given to any member of the council in respect of the agenda items listed below. 

None.

3.   To receive the notes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee Meeting, held on 4th November 2021 and to approve as Minutes.

It was RESOLVED to approve the Minutes and they were duly signed.

4.   To receive a review by the RFO of the Council’s Expenditure Year to Date against the Budget for the current financial year.

This document was available prior to the meeting.*

There had been some savings but also some increases in the budgeted amounts, all of the significant increases had been previously agreed.  It was possible that only a small amount may need to come from balances at the end of the financial year.

5.   To discuss the Grass Cutting tenders and recommend a contractor for appointment subject to referral to Full Council for approval.

Three tenders had been invited but only one had been received which was from the present contractors. Their quotation represented an overall increase of 3.77%. The council had been generally happy with the work done by them.

It was RESOLVED to recommend the quote from Glendale to the Full Council for approval.

ACTION: Councillors to inform the RFO whenever they see the grass had been cut to enable her to keep a record.

6.   To agree the final Budget for 2022-2023 subject to referral to Full Council for approval.

The estimated budget of £88,000 had been submitted to WLDC and their response had not yet been received.  Due to concerns about the percentage increase from last year, the RFO had prepared a revised budget of £84,100.  Following a detailed explanation of the adjustments, each councillor gave their opinion. It was agreed that any overspend on the community shelter budget of £3,500 would come out of the VIC’s budget for extra flashing speed signs.

It was RESOLVED to agree the revised budget and recommend it to Full Council (1 against).

7.   To consider the rate fixing (Precept) for 2022-2023 subject to referral to Full Council for approval.* 

It was RESOLVED to accept the precept of £84,100 and to recommend it to Full Council (1 against). This would result in a Band D property local council tax increase from £54.81 per year to £60.24 a year (+9.91%).

ACTION: To put an explanation of the precept and justification of the increase in the Cherry News

8.   To consider moving funds from HSBC Current Account to Nationwide Savings Account to afford maximum protection under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, Subject to Full Council approval-RFO

The RFO recommended that the council’s funds be distributed between the two accounts which would afford better protection under the scheme.

It was RESOLVED to recommend to the full council that £14,000 be transferred from HSBC to Nationwide.

ACTION: RFO to review the Financial Regulations for the next meeting.

9.   To receive an update from the RFO regarding the HSBC Current account:

a)   Mandate to add Cllr Trahearn as a cheque signatory

The bank had confirmed that the mandate had been completed on the 14th December 2021.  Cllrs Brylewski, Fleetwood. Trahearn and J Robinson were now the authorised signatories.  This would be reviewed annually.

b)   Bank charges that now apply

It was noted that the bank were now charging fees.

10.   To consider any Grant Applications from village groups.

None received. 

ACTION: Information on the availability of grants to be published in the Cherry News.

11.   To receive a report from the Internal Auditor and implement any recommendations including considering any new policies that have been created as a result,subject to Full Council approval.* 

This document had been made available prior to the meeting.

The report was very thorough and very useful.  Several policies and  minor procedure changes had been recommended.

ACTION: The Clerk and RFO to draft the suggested policies and Cllr Trahearn would review them prior to the next meeting.

It was RESOLVED to receive the report

12.   Matters for report and future agenda items.

None

13.   To confirm a date for the next meeting. 

Monday 11th April 2022 at 7pm

*Additional documents available from the clerk

**Please be advised that these are notes of the meeting taken by the Clerk and cannot in any way be regarded as the official minutes of Council proceedings until they are approved and signed at the next meeting.