F&P 2018 Minutes

Finance and Personnel Committee

Minutes of a meeting held on Wednesday 26th September 2018, held at 7.00pm in the Town Hall, Market Deeping. Cllr Shelton (Chairman) presided over Cllr’s Brookes, Miss Moran & Mrs Sked.

Representatives of the Deepings United Football Club, St Guthlac’s Church and the Clerk were also in attendance

The Chairman welcomed all to the meeting. He invited the representatives of the Deepings United Club to present the grant aid request. They explained that the club had been set up in June for young people in the area. They had teams from under 5’s to under 12’s and were asking for funding to help with equipment purchases and running costs.

Cllr Shelton invited the representatives from St Guthlac’s Church to explain their request. They explained that the organ was in need of a refurbishment which would cost the church £65,500. They had already raised £24,000 and were applying to the Heritage Lottery Fund, which required letters of support. They asked if the Council would write a letter of support. Members agreed to put to Council that they write a letter of support. The financial cost was discussed and the church representatives said they would be very grateful with a four figure sum.

01. Chairman’s Welcome

Cllr Shelton welcomed the members to the meeting

02. Apologies for Absence

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Broughton, Stephenson and Miss Collins

03. Declarations of Interest

There were no declarations of interest

04. Grant Aid applications – including presentations by applicants

Members discussed the grant aid application from the Deepings United Club. It was proposed by Cllr Miss Moran, seconded by Cllr Mrs Sked and Resolved unanimously to grant £500 for a specific item.

The representatives agreed to inform the Council the items purchased.

05. For members to receive a request for support for the organ fund at St Guthlac’s Church and to decide on the next steps

Members discussed the request from the church as to whether it would be more beneficial to precept an amount for 2019/20, rather than to donate grant aid funding. It was proposed by Cllr Miss Moran, seconded by Cllr Mrs Sked and Resolved unanimously to recommend to Council that they precept £10,000 for the organ refurbishment.

7.55pm the four representatives left the meeting

06. Notes of minutes from the Finance & Personnel Committee meeting 28th March 2018

Cllr Shelton asked the committee if they were to accept the minutes of the meeting dated Wednesday 28th March 2018. It was proposed by Cllr Shelton, seconded by Cllr Brookes and Resolved unanimously that the minutes could be signed as a true and accurate record of the meeting. The minutes were signed accordingly.

07. Update from the Clerk on matters arising

The Clerk provided a report prior to the meeting which included the following updates:

· The cemetery reserves Barclays account was closed on 31/3/18

· The grant aid was paid to the Deepings Bowls Club

· The grant aid to the Deepings Lions was agreed at the May FC meeting

· All the requested items have been placed in ear marked reserves

· The Metro Bank account for the Mayor’s Charities has been set up

· The allotment plots have been allocated and the Council is waiting for Persimmon Homes to hand over the land. The Clerk has appointed Double & Megson (as agreed at September FC) to act on the Council’s behalf and has chased Persimmon Homes for the next stage.

· A working group has been formed to discuss digital mattes and met up.

· All staff appraisals have been completed

· The staff member has been informed that the Council are in agreement for them to become a retained firefighter but nothing else has been heard on the matter

· All committees have discussed their five year plans in September

08. Correspondence

09. Council Finances

The Clerk had issued members with an update on the Council Finances prior to the meeting. She informed them she had received notification from SKDC for the second half of the precept.

010. Update on the year end closedown

The Clerk informed the members that she had received notification from PKF Littlejohn of the closure of the accounts for year ending 31st March 2018. No issues had been reported.

8pm Cllr Mrs Sked left the meeting

011. Budget Planning

a) For members to discuss a five year project plan

Members discussed the five year plan agreed to put £1,000 in the precept each year for replacement IT equipment

8.02pm Cllr Mrs Sked returned to the meeting

b) For members to commence planning for the Administration cost centre for 2019/20

Members discussed the administration budget. It was accepted to wait until the government had issued information on salaries, before discussing the salary budget. Members agreed to keep the budgets the same as for 2018/19 apart from the following items which will be taken to Full Council to be ratified at the December meeting:

· IT equipment purchases: increase to £1,000

· Youth Centre: reduce to £5,000

· Library: add £6,000

· Church organ refurbishment: add £10,000

· Election Costs: reduce to £0

012. For members to discuss the next stage in providing Council emails

Cllr Brookes informed the members that he had not been able to provide a report. This item was deferred to the next meeting

8.15pm Cllr Miss Moran left the meeting

013. Policies: for members to review the following staff policies:

a) Employee health and safety handbook

Members had been issued the health and safety handbook as provided by Peninsula, prior to the meeting. It was mentioned that the page numbering was incorrect so the Clerk agreed to get that sorted. Members agreed to continue with this handbook.

8.18pm Cllr Miss Moran returned to the meeting

b) Clerk and Deputy Clerk job description

c) Clerk and Deputy Clerk person specification

Members reviewed the Clerk’s job descriptions and person specification and agreed that no amendments were required.

014. Risk Assessments: for members to review the general risk assessments:

Members reviewed the following risk assessments that the Clerk had created using Peninsula BusinessSafe Online:

· Placing lights on the roundabout tree

· Carols round the tree

· Remembrance gardens ceremonies

· Civic service

· Christmas market

· Annual town meeting

· Walking the footpaths

· Civic dinner

015. Personnel – Consideration to go into Closed Session. To include

a) Staff matters

It was proposed by Cllr Shelton, seconded by Cllr Mrs Sled and unanimously Resolved to go into Closed Session to members of the press and public in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, which included: a) the internal application for Town Clerk, appointment, acceptance of terms of acceptance and date to receive acceptance by b) agree on advertisement of Deputy Clerk and where to advertise c) agree on closing date for applications d) discuss the forming of a recruitment panel e) to agree the dates for temporary cover. It was proposed by Cllr Shelton, seconded by Cllr Miss Moran and unanimously Resolved to come out of Closed Session.

The Chairman thanked all members for their attendance and input to the meeting and declared the meeting closed.

There being no other business the meeting closed at 8.38pm. The next committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 28th