Finance & Policy Minutes (Signed) 17-08-2020
Minutes of a Meeting of the Finance & Policy Committee held on Monday 17th August 2020 at 7:00pm via Zoom
Attendance:
Councillor M Jeffreys (Chairman) Councillor J Borda
Councillor A Appleby Councillor R Hood
Councillor C O’Neill
Also Present: Debbie Baines – Town Clerk, Cathy Whitaker – RFO, Julie Ashton – Minute Assistant and 2 Members of the Public.
F/20/08/1 Chairman to announce that proceedings are being recorded and advise that all participants will be muted by the host of the meeting who will unmute the individual the chairman has invited to speak
The Chairman announced that the meeting was being recorded and asked if anyone else intended to record the meeting. There were no requests.
F/20/08/2 Apologies for absence
Apologies were received from Cllrs Bowen, Drummond and Kerby.
F/20/08/3 Declaration of members interests and to remind councillors of the need to keep up to date their register of members interests and to consider any requests received for members dispensation
None noted.
F/20/08/4 To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 20th July 2020 and any matter arising
Members received the minutes of the Finance & Policy Committee meeting held on 20th July 2020 and the following was agreed:
F/20/08/4.01 Resolved
That the minutes of the Finance & Policy Committee meeting held on 20th July 2020 be adopted and signed as a true record by the Chairman of the Finance & Planning Committee.
F/20/08/5 Public participation an invitation to members of the public to put questions/statements of not more than 3 minutes duration. No resolutions can be made but councillors are very happy for matters to be brought to their attention
A resident spoke to an item that was not on the agenda and referred to an item on the last HR meeting H/20/08/9 Terms & Conditions of Employment.
F/20/08/6 Submission of schedules of payments for information CB1 – CB4 FOR (July 2020)
Members reviewed CB1 – CB4 and the following was agreed:
F/20/08/6.01 Recommendation
That the ratification of the schedules of payments for the period 01/07/2020 – 31/07/2020 (Cash Book 1 – 4) be received and adopted.
F/20/08/7 To confirm the bank statement balances & related bank reconciliation have been signed by the chairman of F&P committee
The Chairman of the Finance & Policy Committee confirmed scrutiny of the
bank reconciliations relating to the end of 31/07/2020 (month 4) for the Town Council’s Current, Petty Cash, Salaries and Barclaycard Cashbooks. They would be countersigned by the Chairman of the F&P Committee as soon as possible.
F/20/08/8 To receive the income and expenditure for July 2020
Members received and noted the income and expenditure for July 2020.
F/20/08/9 Grant
The request from West Suffolk to ring-fence a grant for the Abbeycroft Explore Outdoors Adventure Days for 2021 was considered and the following was agreed:
F/20/08/9.01 Resolved
That a grant for Abbeycroft Explore Outdoors Adventure Days for 2021 be ring-fenced.
F/20/08/10 Website
Quotes to update the Website were considered and the following was agreed:
F/20/08/10.01 Recommendation
That the quote from Kallkwik for £2750 +VAT and Annual Host fee £180 +VAT be accepted.
Members noted that the budget allocated to the website for the year was £550, with some expenditure already incurred and considered a virement from marketing funds to meet the shortfall, The following was agreed:
F/20/08/10.02 Recommendation
That a virement of the outstanding balance from the Marketing budget be approved.
F/20/08/11 Policies – Schedule of policy review
The Schedule of Policy review was presented and considered. The following
was agreed:
F/20/08/11.01 Recommendation
That the schedule of Policy Review be accepted.
F/20/08/12 Meeting times
The proposal to change the start time of meetings was withdrawn.
F/20/08/13 Virtual meetings
The guidance for virtual meetings was reviewed and the following was agreed:
F/20/08/13.01 Recommendation
To continue to hold full Town Council and Committee meetings virtually. To permit small informal meetings to take place at the Town Hall, respecting regulations around social distancing and maintaining COVID responsible behaviour. To permit the Extraordinary Council meeting 24th September (Newmarket Town Survey/Health and Wellbeing presentation) to take place in the Memorial Hall should a sufficient number of councillors be able and willing to attend in person, respecting regulations around social distancing and maintaining COVID responsible behaviour. To review the decision to continue holding meetings remotely, at the next Finance and
Policy meeting. It was noted that small informal meetings could be held and that the Extraordinary meeting 24th September for Health and Wellbeing meets this category and will go ahead. Cllr O’Neill would look at using the PA system to assist with social distancing.
F/20/08/14 Memorial garden kiosk
RFO reported that the lease holders had not come in to clear up and collect their equipment. The next step would be to employ a company to clear it for them and add the charges to the outstanding invoice for hire fees. The following was agreed:
F/20/08/14.01 Recommendation
That a cleaning company be employed to clean and clear the Kiosk and that the charges be added to the outstanding lease holder invoice for hire fees.
F/20/08/15 Health & safety
Town Clerk reported that she had met with Ellis Whitham to identify areas that require action and the lone worker policy would be reviewed. The monthly Health & Safety reports for July 2020 was received and noted.
F/20/08/16 Correspondence
None noted.
F/20/08/17 Date of next meeting
Monday 21st September 2020 via Zoom.
F/20/08/18 Items for the next agenda
• Power of Competence to be added to the full Council Agenda
Meeting closed at 7:33pm
Signed: By the Chairman Date:21 September 2020