FINANCE AND POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING

Lytchett Matravers Parish Council

MINUTES of the Meeting held on 9th February 2015 in the Village Hall, Vineyard Close, Lytchett Matravers at 7:30 p.m.

PRESENT: Cllrs A Bush (Vice Chairman), P. Webb, C Wood and the Parish Clerk.

1. APOLOGIES. Were received from Cllrs K Norris and M Colvey.

2. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

There was none.

3. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest; and consideration of requests for Special Dispensations under Section 33 of the Localism Act 2011.

There were none.

4. MINUTES OF THE MEETING on 15th December 2014 were ACCEPTED as a true record.

5. MATTERS ARISING

Minute 12, 6th June 2011. Security of council papers & records. It was noted that one Council minute book is still with Cllr Bush, who is currently making an electronic copy. Carried forward.

Minute 6, 2nd December 2014 – Bank Accounts. DISCHARGED

Minute 10, 11th August 2014 – Footpath between Foxhills Development and Deans Drove. DISCHARGED.

Minute 12, 8th December 2014 – Replacement of heaters at Club Hall. The Lighthouse Family Church have been advised that the Council has agreed to meet the cost of supply and installation of the replacement heaters and that, following the recent check of the building by qualified asbestos inspectors, this work can now go ahead. It was noted that whilst a verbal report has already been provided, the formal written asbestos inspection report will be made available on the inspection company’s website.

Community grant for village hall toilets refurbishment project. It was reported that advice is still awaited from BK Beavers via NALC regarding the VAT matter raised by Primrose.

6. Receipt of Latest bank reconciliation and accounts for 2013/14 to date.

Bank Reconciliation update for 2014/15 had been circulated to members in advance of the meeting. A copy is attached at Appendix 1 to these minutes. Budget performance for the Open Spaces subheading was noted to include exceptional expenditure of £8600 for the Foxhills – Deans Drove path and £2600 for felling and removal of the Cypress trees on the southern side of the recreation ground.

Receipt of this bank reconciliation and update of the working accounts is RECOMMENDED to full council.

7. Review of signatories on Council bank accounts.

It was noted that there was a need to remove and replace two former Council members as signatories to the HSBC bank accounts. It was agreed to RECOMMEND to Full Council that Mr Miller and Mrs Dyball are replaced as signatories by Cllrs C Wood and P Webb. Action: Parish Clerk to prepare the necessary forms ready for the Full Council meeting on 16th February 2015.

8. Regular review of performance of the Council’s investment with Prudential.

The Parish Clerk had circulated the latest report from Prudential on the performance of this investment. It was noted that the current value of the investment had risen by £5923.70 to £167849.70

9. Annual Review of Risk Register for recommendation to Full Council.

After a review of its contents, it was agreed to RECOMMEND that Full Council accepts the revised Risk Register as attached at Appendix 2 to these minutes.

10. Annual review of schedule of Governance / Internal Controls responsibilities.

The latest update to the schedule of Governance / Internal Controls and their responsibilities was reviewed. It was agreed to RECOMMEND that Full Council accepts the revised version as attached at Appendix 3 to these minutes.

11. Annual review of Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.

It was RESOLVED that Cllr Norris and the Parish Clerk would undertake a review of these two documents and make recommendations for any changes to Full Council when it meets on 16th March 2015.

12. Consideration of an amendment to the Parish Clerk’s contract of employment with regards to pay – in accordance with the joint NALC / SLCC the paper E03-14 “2014-2016 National Salary Award” – to include an hourly rate increase of 35p per hour plus a non-consolidated one- off payment of £100.

It was noted that Parish Clerk had opted to forgo the previous pay rise. After a discussion it was agreed to RECOMMEND to Full Council the increase in the hourly pay rate for the Parish Clerk to £11.19 per hour backdated to 1st January 2015 (representing an hourly rate increase of 35p), plus an unconsolidated payment of £100.

13. Consideration of a grant application for 2015-16 of £1454.40 from the Purbeck Citizens Advice Bureau to support the continuation of the weekly CAB consultation session held in Lytchett Matravers library.

Comparisons were made to the grant paid the CAB for 2014/15. It was agreed to RECOMMEND to Full Council that the requested grant of £1454.40, in respect of the cost of operating the advice service in Lytchett Matravers Library, is paid in full before the end of this financial year.

14. Neighbourhood Plan – update.

In view of the regular progress updates provided at Full Council meetings, it was agreed to remove this as a standing agenda item on this committee’s agenda. Action: Parish Clerk to remove this item from the agenda accordingly.

15. Requirements of “Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014” – recording and publication of decisions. Proposal: introduction of a new Full Council standing agenda item “Decisions taken by Parish Clerk under delegated powers”.

The Parish Clerk explained the background to this requirement by referring to the relevant legislation – which requires that councils at all levels maintain a written record of decisions which are proper for the council to make but have been delegated to an officer of the council either under a specific express authorisation of the council or under a general authorisation and the effect of the decision is to:

(i)Grant a permission or licence.

(ii) Affect the rights of an individual.

(iii) Award a contract or incur expenditure which, in either case, materially affects the Parish Council’s financial position.

It was agreed to RECOMMEND to Full Council the introduction of a standing agenda item on Full Council meeting agendas to record relevant decisions taken by the Parish Clerk.

Accompanying guidance gives the following as examples of decisions which do not need to be recorded:

· Routine administrative and organisational decisions such as purchase of office supplies or repairs.

· A decision to sign an allotment tenancy agreement.

· A decision to allocate a burial plot.

· Decisions to book rooms or sports grounds.

· Decisions to approve works undertaken by a contractor.

12. FINANCE AND POLICY RELATED CORRESPONDENCE

The Parish Clerk reported on the following correspondence:

  • A letter from Mr M Adams, Technical Officer, Dorset Highways, DCC confirming that he had been made aware that Lime Kiln Rd, Wimborne Rd and Wareham Rd, Lytchett Matravers were bus routes. As a result they have been added to the DCC Highways Department’s “priority salting network”.
  • A letter from Ms A Etherington on behalf of the Purbeck Film Festival expressing the hope that the council will consider making a grant to the support the festival in 2015.

13. MATTERS OF INTEREST AND INFORMATION RELATED TO FINANCE AND POLICY

There was none.

There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 20:35

Annotated by/on …………………………. Approved by/on ………………………

Minutes of Finance & Policy Commitee meeting 9th February 2015