April 2022 Minutes F&GP Cttee
Minutes of Cherry Willingham Parish Council’s Finance and General Purposes Committee, held on Monday 11th April 2022 at 10am.
Present:
Cllr Jenny Robinson (Chairman), Cllr Trahearn (Vice Chair), Cllr Brylewski, Cllr Burge 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.
Apologies had been received from Cllr Fleetwood who was in another meeting and Cllr Bridgwood who was away.
It was RESOLVED to accept the apologies.
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 6th January 2022 and approve as Minutes.
It was RESOLVED to approve as Minutes and they were duly signed.
4. FINANCE
Year End Accounts-RFO
i) To review income and expenditure for 2021/2022.*
The document had been circulated prior to the meeting. The RFO outlined the major variances against budget- most notably the increase in Salaries but this was offset by an underspend on Training, Grass Cutting, Play Parks and Burial Ground Maintenance, Resurfacing at Laburnum PF and no Grants applied for by Village Groups. The overall result is a Surplus of £231 to add to Balances.
ii) To resolve to approve the allocation of Balances subject to Full Council Approval.*
The document had been circulated prior to the meeting. It was proposed to increase the Earmarked Burial Ground Fund by £3570, this being receipts from sales of plots. Cherry Fields Project had overspent by £181 due to a Grant confirmed at £1000 not having been received in the financial year so a deficit would be carried forward. A surplus of funds for the Community Orchard would be carried forward (this was not part of the Budget/Precept).The Capital Fund for Development,CILS and Heritage funds remained unchanged ACTION RFO to contact members of the Heritage Society to seek clarification about their intention for this fund. The Earmarked fund for Lady Meers Pond had been reduced following expenditure of £2160 on new fencing. The remaining balances would be transferred to the General Fund which would stand at £39,100.
It was RESOLVED to accept the allocation.
iii) To resolve to use the Earmarked Capital Fund for setting up Allotments subject to Full Council approval.
£10,000 was in the Earmarked Capital Fund to be used for a Capital project. It was proposed to utilise some or all of this fund as needed for the setting up costs of the allotments. The set up costs had been estimated but not finalised.
It was RESOLVED to allow the fund to be used, as necessary, towards the setting up cost of allotments.
ACTION: The Allotment group to present costing options to Full Council after the meeting with Highways in relation to the access to Tanfaine.
ACTION: The Planning Committee to look at any CILs payments that may be due and to check what any payment can be spent on.
Thanks were given to the RFO for all her work.
5. To resolve to approve an amended Budget for 2022-23 following staffing restructure and creation of Allotments, subject to Full Council approval.*
A document had been circulated prior to the meeting.
The Budget had already been approved and the Precept of £84,100 received but there were now two new major costs to consider which were Allotments and Staffing Restructure. The RFO had prepared alternative budgets and following discussion by members further changes were agreed.
Project budgets were reduced to help offset the increased costs.It was still unknown if Council would be required to contribute to cricket safety nets but the budget was calculated assuming it would not. The proposed new budget would have an effect on Balances.Within financial controls the Council is required to retain an appropriate minimum level of Reserves (Balances) and the RFO suggested that a minimum of £20,000 should be retained in the General Fund.
It was RESOLVED to put the alternative budget to Full Council.
6. To note the Bank Reconciliation as at 31st March 2022 and to resolve to agree to changes to the signatories in respect of the Nationwide Savings Account, subject to Full Council Approval.
It was RESOLVED to recommend to Full Council that 4 signatories be named with the requirement of any two being needed to sign instructions. Full Council to agree on the 4 signatories.
7. To review the following Finance policies:*
Any changes to be subject to Full Council approval.
i) Financial Regulations
To include, on a temporary basis, under Section 4.1 “Budgetary control and authority to spend” the task and finish groups for Allotments and Jubilee Events to enable expenditure within the agreed budgets up to £1000. Such agreed expenditure to be minuted. Any item over £1000 must be referred to Full Council.
It was RESOLVED to recommend the temporary authority to Full Council.
ii) Risk Management & Asset Management.
These should be reviewed annually but no changes were needed.
iii) Accounting Procedures.
No changes needed.
iv) Grants.
No changes needed.
v) Expenses for Councillors, Staff and Volunteers.
No changes needed.
8. To consider any grant applications from village groups.
None.
9. To review the fees being charged for the use of Council facilities and resolve to make any changes, subject to Full Council approval:
i) Burial Fees
No change.
ii) Playing Field User Fees
To increase the fees from £205 to £210 per annum (in accordance with the User policy*).
iii) Room Hire Fees - Millennium Hall
To increase the fees from £6 to £7 per hour on account of the increase in heating costs.
iv) Contribution to Grass Cutting - Tennis Club
To increase from £55 to £60 to reflect the increase in grass cutting costs.
It was RESOLVED unanimously to agree to recommend these fees to Full Council.
GENERAL PURPOSES
10. To consider any draft Policies raised following the Internal Auditor’s report.
This was deferred to the next meeting.
11. To consider changing the terms of reference and structure of the Employment Committee to reduce its size and establish a separate panel for dealing independently with any Grievance or Disciplinary matter.
The Internal Auditor had suggested that the Employment Committee was too large and recommended an HR group of 3 be set up to support staff.
It was RESOLVED to recommend to Full Council that the Employment Committee should be disbanded and an HR group of 3 Councillors be set up to support staff and any other employment issues (including any grievance or disciplinary matter) should be dealt with by Full Council.
A query was raised about who acted as the Line Manager for the Clerk/RFO. A proposal that it should be the Chair of the Council will be brought by Cllr Burge to Full Council.
Cllr B. Robinson left the meeting.
12. Matters for inclusion in the next meeting.
Skills register
Training
13. Date of next meeting.
Monday 11th July at 10am.
* 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.