Finance and Policy Minutes Signed 21-02-2022
Attendance:
Councillor D Hall (Chairman)
Councillor J Harvey
Councillor J Borda
Councillor M Jefferys
Councillor P Hulbert
Also Present:
T Symonds – Deputy Town Clerk
J Ashton – Minute Assistant
and 1 Member of the Public.
Minute
F22/02/1 Chairman to Read the Fire Safety Notice and Announce that Proceedings may be filmed or Recorded
The Chairman opened the meeting and read out the Fire Safety Notice and confirmed that proceedings may be filmed or recorded.
F22/02/2 Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from Cllrs Drummond, Hood, O’Neill and Yarrow.
F22/02/3 Declaration of Member’s Interests and to Remind Councillors of the Need to Keep up to Date their Register of Member’s Interests and to Consider any Requests Received for Members Dispensation
Cllr Borda declared an interest in item 11. There were no requests for dispensations.
F22/02/4 To Confirm the Minutes of the Meeting Held on 24th January 2022 and any Matters Arising
Members received the minutes of the Finance & Policy Committee meeting held on 24th January 2022 and the following was agreed:
F/22/02/4.01 Resolved
That the minutes of the Finance & Policy Committee meeting held on 24th January 2022 be adopted and signed as a true record by the Chairman of the Finance & Policy Committee.
There were no matters arising.
F22/02/5 Public Open Session
No members of the public wished to speak.
F22/02/6 Submission of Schedules of Payments for Information CB1 – CB4 2021
Members reviewed CB1 – CB4 for January 2022 and the following was agreed:
F/22/02/6.01 Recommendation
That the ratification of the schedules of payments for the period 01/01/2022 – 31/01/2022 (Cash Book 1 – 4) be received and adopted.
F22/02/7 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 31/01/2022 (months 10) for the Town Council’s Current, Petty Cash, Salaries and Barclaycard Cashbooks.
F22/02/8 To Receive the Income and Expenditure
The Income and Expenditure reports for January 2022 were received and noted.
F22/02/9 Community Governance Review
The scenarios presented by West Suffolk Council regarding the Town Council Warding arrangements were considered and a hybrid scenario D was proposed to retain Freshfields, Severals and All Saints and use Newmarket North and Newmarket West for the other two wards. The following was agreed:
F/22/02/9.01 Recommendation
That NTC prefer scenario B and would not object to having an odd number of Councillors. If this cannot be facilitated, then a request for a hybrid scenario D to retain Freshfields, Severals and All Saints and use Newmarket North and Newmarket West for the other two wards be submitted to West Suffolk Council.
F22/02/10 Book Printing
A request from regarding printing a book about Newmarket was considered and the following was agreed:
F/22/02/10.01 Recommendation
That the request to print a book about Newmarket be considered when a Town Museum is established.
Cllr Borda declared an interest in the following application and did not vote.
F22/02/11 Defibrillator
A request to fund consumables for the defibrillator located at the RC Church was considered and the following was agreed:
F/22/02/11.01 Recommendation
That due to a lack of budget, the request not be approved and that an inventory be taken to locate the number of defibrillators held in town and to note who is responsible for them to formulate a NTC Policy on maintaining defibrillators.
F22/02/12 Electricity Contract
This item was deferred to allow further discussions with the Chairman of the F&P Committee and the Town Clerk.
F22/02/13 Health and Safety
The monthly health and safety report was undergoing reform following consultation with the Health and Safety representative.
F22/02/14 Correspondence
None noted.
F22/02/15 Date of Next Meeting
Monday 21st March 2022 at the Memorial Hall.
F22/02/16 Items for the Next Agenda
- Risk Management Policy
- Grant to First Responders
Meeting closed at 7.36 pm
Signed by the Chairman Date 21st March 2022
Summary of Recommendations
| Recommendation | Recommendation Wording |
| F/22/02/6.01 Recommendation
|
That the ratification of the schedules of payments for the period 01/12/2021 – 31/11/2021 (Cash Book 1 – 4) be received and adopted. |
| F/22/02/9.01 Recommendation | That NTC prefer scenario B and would not object to having an odd number of Councillors. If this cannot be facilitated, then a request for a hybrid scenario D to retain Freshfields, Severals and All Saints and use Newmarket North and Newmarket West for the other two wards be submitted to West Suffolk Council |
| F/22/02/10.02 Recommendation | That the request to print a book about Newmarket be considered when a Town Museum is established. |
| F/22/02/11.01 Recommendation | That due to a lack of budget, the request not be approved and that an inventory be taken to locate the number of defibrillators held in town and to note who is responsible for them to formulate a NTC Policy on maintaining defibrillators. |