FGPC January 2020 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 16 January 2020 at 8.30pm in the Meeting Room at The Institute.
Present: Councillors Blessett, Bowell, Dilks, Gilbert, Halls, Hardy, Shinkins-Hoppe, Stevens and Thomas
The minutes were taken by the Parish Clerk
47.20 To receive apologies of absence.
Apologies were accepted from Councillor Hosking.
48.20 To receive any declarations of interest.
None declared.
49.20 To adopt the minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday 21 November 2019
Agreed and signed.
50.20 Clerks report.
Nothing reported.
51.20 To consider the Internal Auditor’s report for the third quarter of 2019/20
The Internal Auditor had made one recommendation in their report – to provide a better audit trial and easier reconciliation as the income for allotment rent is shown on the receipts lists in the person’s name can it be the same on the paying slip (rather than using the allotment number). This comment was noted.
52.20 To receive the 2019/20 income and expenditure report to date.
The contents of the reports were noted.
53.20 To further consider the budget recommendations for 2020/21.
Councillor Bowell referred to the budget paperwork that the Clerk had prepared and circulated which confirmed that it would be necessary to increase the precept in 2020/21to continue to provide the services and facilities currently provided, comply with legal requirements, employ two more members of staff, purchase and install more bus shelters and complete remedial work on trees the parish council are responsible for. Discussions took place before it was agreed that a precept of £170,743.60, an increase of £35,629.91 on the 2019/20 precept, should be Recommended to the Council. This increase would mean the charge on a Band D property would increase by £14.24 per annum (25.8%) from £55.17 to £69.41.
54.20 To agree when to the policies that have recently been reviewed by Councillor Bowell will be considered.
After discussion it was agreed that the Clerk should use the policy log that was already in place to review each policy and only a policy to the committee as and when legal changes were required. Any minor changes such as gender neutralisation or grammatical changes can be completed without the committee’s involvement.
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 matter.
55.20 To receive the minutes and any recommendations from the Staffing sub-committee meeting held on Tuesday 10 December 2019.
In the absence of Councillor Hosking Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe introduced the minutes of this meeting. After discussion this committee agreed to Recomended that a budget was included in the 2020/21 precept to enable the Parish Council to take steps to recruit an additional part-time member of office staff.
It was resolved to come out of closed session in accordance with The Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960.
56.20 To agree the date of the next meeting.
7.45pm on 19 March 2020
Meeting closed at 9.30pm