Finance & Policy Minutes (Signed) 18-03-2019

Minutes of a Meeting of the Finance & Policy Committee held on Monday 18th March 2019 at 7:15pm at the Memorial Hall Newmarket

Attendance:
Councillor A Drummond (Chairman)                                                  Councillor J Morrey
Councillor J Lay                                                                                       Councillor R Nobbs
Councillor R Hood                                                                                  Councillor P Winter

Also Present: Roberta Bennett – TCM, Cathy Whitaker – RFO and Julie Ashton – Minute Assistant.

F/19/03/1 Chairman to read fires safety notice and announce that proceedings may be filmed or recorded
The Chairman opened the meeting at 6:30 and advised that the Fire Safety Notice was not required. It was confirmed that proceedings may be filmed or recorded.

F/19/03/2 Apologies
None noted.

F/19/03/3 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/19/03/4 To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 18th February 2019 and any matter arising
Members received the minutes of the Finance & Policy Committee meeting held on 18th February 2019 and the following amendment was made:

Page 1 – Attendance list – Cllr Hulbert was removed from the list and added to Also Present.
Subject to the amendment being made, the following was agreed:

F/19/03/4.01 Resolved
That the minutes of the Finance & Policy Committee meeting held on 18th February 2019 be adopted and signed as a true record by the Chairman of the Finance & Planning Committee.

Matters arising:
F/19/02/9 – CAB – Members discussed the Governance of the CAB and the following was agreed:
F/19/03/4.02 Recommendation
That following the election, a request be sent to the CAB for a NTC Cllr to be appointed as a Member of the CAB Board to attend monthly meetings

F/19/03/5 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 matter to be brought to their attention
None noted.

F/19/03/6 Submission of schedules of payments for information CB1, CB2 AND CB4 FOR (February 2019)
Members reviewed CB1, CB2 and CB4 and the following was agreed:
F/19/03/6.01 Recommendation
That the ratification of the schedules of payments for the period 01/02/2019 – 28/02/2019 (Cash Book 1, 2 and 4) be received and adopted.

F/19/03/7 To confirm the bank statement balances & related bank reconciliation have been signed by the chairman of F&P committee
The Vice Chairman of the Finance & Policy Committee confirmed that the bank reconciliations relating to the end of 28/02/2019 (month 11) for the Town Council’s Current, Petty Cash, Salaries and Barclaycard Cashbooks had been countersigned by the Chairman of the F&P Committee.

F/19/03/8 To review the communications and marketing and protocol on publicity notices
TCM presented 3 Polices for Protocol, Marketing and Communications. The Policies were considered and the following was agreed:
F/19/03/8.01 Recommendation
That the draft policies for Protocol, Marketing and Communications be received and adopted.

F/19/03/9 To receive the income and expenditure for February 2019
Members received and noted the income and expenditure for February 2019. TCM advised that NTC would be invoiced for their share of the election costs and that an email would be sent to all Cllrs regarding the prohibition of using NTC resources during Purdah.

F/19/03/10 Paypal/Credit card
The RFO presented a report on PayPal to allow customers to pay online and the following was agreed:
F/19/03/10.01 Recommendation
That NTC set up a business PayPal Standard account to enable payments to be made online.

F/19/03/11 To receive a report on charitable fund
TCM gave a verbal report on the process for setting up a Charitable fund and the following was agreed:
F/19/03/11.01 Recommendation
That NTC set up a Charitable fund.

F/19/03/12 To receive an update on health & safety issues
TCM advised that she and the Events Manager had attended risk assessment training and a new process would be introduced for reporting identified risks which would include a summary of weekly checks and record any incidents, accidents and outstanding actions. Members considered the new summary on a page report and the following was agreed:
F/19/03/12.01 Recommendation
That the new safety inspection report be received and adopted subject to a legend for the risk ratings being added.

F/19/03/13 Health and safety monthly review
The new monthly safety inspection report was reviewed and the TCM gave a verbal update on the risks identified along with outstanding actions.

F/19/03/14 Correspondence
None noted.

F/19/03/15 Date of next meeting
Monday 15th April 2019 at the Memorial Hall, High Street, Newmarket.

F/19/03/16 Items for the next agenda
None noted.

Meeting closed at 7:30pm

Signed ______________________________ Date _________________________