FGPC October 2019 Minutes
Deeping St James Parish Council
The Institute, 38 Church Street, Deeping St James, Peterborough PE6 8HD
e-mail: clerk.dsjpc@btconnect.com
Tel: 01778 343266
Webpage: parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/deepingstjames
Parish Clerk: Julie Fortnum
The minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee meeting held on Thursday 24 October 2019 at 7.45pm in the Meeting Room at The Institute.
Present: Councillors Blessett, Bowell, Gilbert, Halls, Hosking, Shinkins-Hoppe, Stevens and one member of the public.
26.20 To receive apologies of absence.
Apologies had been received and were accepted from Councillors Hardy and Thomas
27.20 To receive any declarations of interest.
Agenda item 31.20 - Councillor Judy Stevens
28.20 To adopt the minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday 22 August 2019 – enclosed.
Agreed and signed, after a spelling alteration (sort to sought)
29.20 Clerks report.
A letter has been issued to Unity Trust Bank signed by two signatories requesting an increase in the credit limit from £250 to £500 on the Corporate Multipay card.
The Internal Auditor has rescheduled their visit from Friday 18 October to Monday 28 October 2019. A report will be provided at the November committee meeting.
Meetings have taken place with the IT provider to move forward with the IT improvements and changes.
It was noted that Barclays Bank had today announced that they had rescinded their decision to withdraw from the reciprocal arrangement they have with the Post Office.
30.20 To receive the 2019/20 income and expenditure reports to date
The committee members noted the reports from which no concerns were raised.
31.20 To receive the committees budget recommendations for 2020/21
Allotments Footpath And Open Spaces Committee
Expenditure
Maintenance & Misc. - £3000.00
Tree, Hedges, Bulbs & Wildflowers - £1400.00
Riverbank Maintenance - £1500.00
Jubilee Park - £5000.00
Allotment Improvements
To increase by £500 for allotment plot signage - £1500.00
Millennium Wood maintenance - £2000.00
Flag Pole/Storage Shed - £2000.00
Total - £16400.00
These figures were agreed.
Cemetery Committee
Income
Burial Fees - £2000.00
Memorial Fees - £500.00
Total -- £2500.00
As it has been resolved by the Council to employ a Cemetery Keeper from April 2020 the Cemetery committee agreed to recommend to the finance and general purposes committee that the grounds maintenance contract budget should be changed to grounds maintenance improvements and the budget in respect of the new member of staff should be included within the staffing costs budget.
Expenditure
Grounds maintenance improvements - £2000.00 - Reduced by £5950
Miscellaneous repairs - £600.00 - Increased by £125
Water Rates - £100.00
New Cemetery land reserves - £1000.00
Total - £3700.00
These figures were accepted as was the above change of cost code name and the need to include the costs of employing a Cemetery keeper and providing the required training, machinery and PPE should be incorporated into the appropriate cost codes.
Planning And Transport
Expenditure
Transport campaign - £500.00
Bus shelter maintenance/ repairs - £1250.00
Speed camera maintenance - £250.00
New or relocated Bus Shelters - £12000.00
Total - £14000.00
These figures were accepted with the following amendment – to change the name of the transport campaign cost code to safety campaign to broaden the use.
Youth And Community Committee
Expenditure
Grounds maintenance - £2000.00
Miscellaneous repairs - £3000.00
Summer Play Scheme - £6500.00
Play equipment improvements - £10000.00
Total - £21500.00
These figures were accepted with the following amendment – the Clerk should obtain a cost for the purchase of signs to attach to the playing field fencing warning of CCTV and risk of prosecution if fencing damaged. This cost should be included within the youth and community cost centre.
Events And Communications Committee
Newsletter - £2000.00
Community events - £500.00
Annual Parish meeting - £500.00?
VE Day 75 (8 May 20) - TBC?
Volunteers buffet (one evening w/c 1-7 June 20) - £400.00?
Total - £3400.00?
It was agreed that the advertising publicity and communications cost centre heading (D) should be renamed events and communications and the cost code for meeting advertising (D301) and recruitment advertising (D304) should be transferred and included under the cost centre named administration (C).
32.20 To consider other budget requirements for 2020/21
Councillor Bowell had provided a document which reviewed all other cost codes not reviewed by other committees which the Parish Clerk had added to. This document was used as a starting point for discussions about the budget for 2020/21
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.
The one member of the public present left the meeting.
A newly created cost code for the Cemetery Keeper costs is required to be set up.
All the other staff salary costs codes should be increased to take into account cost of living increases salary increment increases and increases in related on costs (pension and national insurance).
It was also agreed that the staffing sub-committee should arrange to meet to consider staff appraisals and staffing requirements.
It was agreed that the contractual cover budget should be kept so there is funding available to cover for the unexpected.
It was resolved to come out of closed session.
The training cost code should be increased from £250 to £750 to cover the training needs of newly elected Councillors and the Cemetery Keeper. The Parish Clerk was asked to source a manual training course which could be offered to Deeping St James Parish Council staff and the staff of neighbouring councils.
The office and maintenance cost code needs to be increased by £5000 to cover the machinery set up and servicing costs associated with employing a Cemetery Keeper.
The waste skip rental cost code should be increased from £2500 by 25%. The Community rehabilitation team cost code should be decreased from £3500 to £1500
It was noted that the amenity grass verges cost code would need to be renamed and increased if the Parish Council resolved to accept the pieces of land being gifted by South Kesteven District Council.
The committee agreed that work on the budget requirements would continue. It was noted that the precept requirement was usually required by the District Council by the middle of January 2020.
33.20 To review the risk assessment policy
The committee agreed that it should recommend to council that the two current policies should be re-adopted. Councillor Gilbert offered to work towards improving/amalgamating them to be reviewed in May 2020.
34.20 Date of next meeting – It was agreed to hold the next meeting at 7.45pm 21 November 2019.