August 2026 Minutes
The minutes of the Finance, Policy and Personnel Committee meeting held in the meeting room at the Institute 38 Church Street Deeping St James PE6 8HD at 8.00pm on Tuesday 11 August 2026.
Present: Councillors Bowell, Gilbert, Neville, Rose, Shinkins-Hoppe and Stevens
The minutes were taken by the Parish Clerk.
27.15 To receive apologies of absence.
Apologies had been received and were accepted from Councillors Halls, Hosking and Neville.
27.16 To receive any declarations of interest.
None declared.
27.17 To adopt the minutes of the previous meeting held on Tuesday 11 June 2026.
Agreed and signed.
27.18 To receive the Clerk’s report.
As agreed £50,000 was transferred on 15 June 2026 from the current account to a savings account to benefit from interest being paid.
The risk management policy and freedom of information publication scheme documents which were reviewed in June 2026 have been updated on the webpage.
The Staff Handbook reviewed and updated in June 2026 has been shared with all employees.
The HMRC approved amount of mileage allowance payments has increased from 0.45 pence per mile to 0.55 pence per mile form 06 April 2026.
27.19 To receive a report of the financial position as at 05 August 2026.
A report was shared and the contents noted.
The Clerk requested permission to transfer £50,000 (£25,000 in August and £25,000 in September) back from the Unity Trust Instant Access Account to the Unity Trust Current Account to cover the expected monthly expenditure. RESOLVED.
ACTION: The Clerk to submit a transfer transaction of £25,000 and request two signatories to authorise it.
27.20 To receive a report on the income and expenditure against budget for the period 1 April 2026 to 05 August 2026.
A report was shared and the contents were noted.
27.21 To receive the bank reconciliations for 30 June 2026 and 31 July 2026.
These were considered and signed by the Committee Chairman, Councillor Gilbert.
27.22 To review the Grants and donations policy
The current policy was reviewed following the maximum figure of £500 being questioned when the Deepings Lions Duck Race grant application requesting £617 had been considered at the Full Council meeting held on 21 July 2026.
Councillor Gilbert proposed that the figure was increased to £750, seconded and RESOLVED.
ACTION: The Clerk to amend the policy and update the document on the Parish Council’s webpage
27.23 To consider the Lincolnshire Pension Fund draft Investment Strategy Statement and, if agreed, decide how to respond to the consultation.
The document had been circulated among members who had no comment, so it was agreed to respond to the consultation acknowledging receipt and noting the draft statement.
ACTION: The Clerk to respond.
27.24 To receive an updated quotation offering an annual HR update service.
Documents had been shared with the committee which offered an employment law update service including updating the staff handbook, access to webinars and receipt of general email updates at a cost of £425.00. The committee were also made aware that Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils can provide HR advice via the contractual arrangements that they have with Worknest and Wilkin Chapman Rollits LLP. Should a matter need more bespoke advice Wilkin Chapman Rollitts LLP could provide an estimate for the work based on reduced rates.
Councillor Gilbert proposed that the service offered by Keeping HR Simple was not taken up and that if needed the Parish Council seek support via LALC in the first instance and call on Keeping HR Simple when needed for more bespoke support. Seconded and RESOLVED.
It was RESOLVED to move into closed session in accordance with The Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 due to the confidential nature of the business to be discussed in relation to the following matters
27.25 To receive and consider job evaluations completed by the Local Council Consultancy
The job evaluation report had been shared with the members and the contents were considered. It was proposed seconded and RESOLVED that the report could not be given through attention until the recommendations had been costed. It was agreed to call an extra ordinary meeting of the committee at 7pm on Thursday 10 September 2026 to consider this further
ACTION: The Clerk, working with the Payroll provider, to prepare costings.
27.26 To receive and consider personnel matters.
The Clerk provided an update regarding the employee who had been on sickness leave advising that they had returned on 20 July 2026
It was RESOLVED to move out of closed session
27.27 To note the date of the next meeting – 8pm Tuesday 13 October 2026