FPPC February 2023 Minutes
DEEPING ST JAMES PARISH COUNCIL
The Institute, 38 Church Street, Deeping St James, PE6 8EP
E-mail: clerk@dsjpc.co.uk
Tel: 01778 343266
Webpage: //deeping-st-james.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk Facebook: Deeping St James Parish Council
Parish Clerk: Julie Fortnum
The minutes of the meeting of the Finance, Policy and Personnel Committee held in the meeting room at the Institute 38 Church Street Deeping St James PE6 8HD at 7.45pm on Monday 6 February 2023.
Present: Councillors Bowell, Gilbert, Halls and Shinkins-Hoppe.
The Parish Clerk took the meeting notes and prepared the minutes on 8 February 2023
23.53 To receive apologies of absence.
As Councillor Olson had resigned from the role of Chairperson of the Cemetery Committee her presence at this meeting was no longer required.
Apologies were received and accepted from Councillor Stevens.
Councillor Hosking did not attend.
23.54 To receive any declarations of interest.
None declared.
23.55 To adopt the minutes of the previous meeting held on Tuesday 3 January 2023.
Agreed and signed.
23.56 To receive the Clerk’s report.
After receiving letters dated 22 December 2022 and 13 January 2023 the Clerk continues to try and establish what information Barclays Business Banking need to avoid the Parish Councils accounts being restricted. Phone calls have not been productive as those answering the calls are unaware what letters have been sent and emails are going unanswered.
The committee agreed that the Clerk should formally write to Barclays expressing the Parish Council’s dissatisfaction at not being able to establish and provide the information being requested despite making a phone call and sending an email.
The quotations for grass cutting have been received from EnvironmentSK
- the highway verges (jointly with MDTC), 8 cuts between April and November costing £9968.24 split 50/50 between DSJPC and MDTC
- the Riverbank, 16 cuts between April and November costing £1305.92
- Woody Heights, 16 cuts between April and November costing £1619.68 and,
- Jubilee Park, 8 cuts between April and November costing £1366.40
As the costing for Jubilee Park was reasonable and the budget that the Parish council had agreed provided scope for additional cuts the committee agreed that Jubilee Park should be cut 12 times rather than 8 (weather dependent)
23.57 To receive an update on the Parish Council’s current financial position.
The bank balance as at 31 January 2023 was £214,208.04 which included general reserves of £50,042.96 and earmarked reserves of £73,550.00 was noted.
23.58 To receive and consider reports on the Parish Council’s income and expenditure from 1 April 2022 to date.
The contents of the reports were noted.
23.59 To receive the interim Audit report for 2022/23 from the Lincolnshire Association of Local Council Internal Auditor.
Councillor Bowell had prepared a six-page report listing the work that needed to be completed following the Internal Auditors recommendations however this had not been shared with the other members of the committee. It was agreed that the Clerk would use the document to assist her in working through the Internal Auditors recommendations and in completing the tasks required.
23.60 To consider the consultation on the revised defined benefit funding code and approach to fast track received from the Pensions Regulator.
The committee agreed that the Pensions Regulator were better placed than any Parish Council to agree policy so the information received about the draft defined benefit funding code and approach to fast track was noted.
23.61 To consider banking options for the Parish Council and make a recommendation to the Council
Councillor Bowell had investigated a number of banking options and shared a paper with his findings. Many of the banks and building societies he had contacted did not seem to understand Local Councils and their requirements.
It was acknowledged that the Parish Council had already agreed to open a savings account with Unity Trust but this had not yet been completed. The Clerk confirmed that she would take action to sort this.
Councillor Gilbert offered an alternative suggestion – to move the balance in the Barclays current account to the Unity Trust current account and continue to look for another savings account elsewhere. Barclays may contact the Clerk if this happened as there might be a requirement to have a current account in order to have a savings account. At this point the issue with over additional information being required referred under the Clerks report could be addressed.
Councillor Bowell offered to investigate other savings accounts and also see if USwitch could help with the transfer from Barclays to Unity Trust so that all the Direct Debits and Standing Orders could be moved effortlessly.
23.62 To agree the date of the next meeting – 7.45pm Tuesday 11 April 2023