FPPC 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

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 8.00pm on Tuesday 11 April 2023. 
  
Present: Councillors Bowell, Gilbert, Hosking, Shinkins-Hoppe and Stevens

23.63 To receive apologies of absence.

Apologies were received and accepted from Councillor Halls. 

23.64 To receive any declarations of interest.

None declared. 

23.65 To adopt the minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 6 February 2023.   

Agreed and signed.

23.66 To receive the Clerk’s report.

- After receiving a further letter from Barclays Business Banking dates 23 March 2023 advising that the account has been restricted the Clerk rang the customer services helpline (as no direct number was quoted on the letter) only to be assured that the KYC Refresh Team who were issuing the letters were aware of my previous correspondence and would be in touch. An email was also sent to the KYC refresh team. Luckily access is still available to the account.
- The Clerk has contacted EnvironmentSK asking that the request to cut Jubilee Park 6 times between April and November be increased to 8 times but has not received any confirmation so a further email has been issued. Meanwhile the first cut of Jubilee Park (plus the riverbank, Woody Heights and the highway verges) has taken place. Another email has been sent.
- The Internal Auditor made contact again on Tuesday 4 April 2023 to look at year end documentation. The Clerk advised that this was unlikely to be available for at least another month. 
- The Clerk has chased the Solicitors regarding the completion of the transfer of ownership of Jubilee Park and is awaiting a response. The Clerk advised that a representative from South Kesteven District council had made contact 
    
23.67 To receive an update on the Parish Council’s current financial position.

The bank balance as at 31 March 2023 was £188,008.82 which included general reserves of £50,196.35 and earmarked reserves of £97,550.00 was noted. 

23.68 To receive and consider reports on the Parish Council’s income and expenditure from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023.

The Clerk advised that the 2023-24 precept calculation agreed at Council on 17 January 2023 was based on an estimated bank balance of £16,790.40 being available at 31 March 2023. In 2022-23 several expenditure budgets were not spent as predicted plus slightly more income was received than predicted leading to the bank balance available at 31 March 2023 being healthier than predicted at £40,262.47. 

This means that a figure of £23,472.07 could be transferred to reserves this year. If not used during 2023-24 it could either be left in reserves or used to keep the 2024-25 precept low. The committee considered this and agreed to recommend to Council that £22,500 is transferred to reserves - £2,500 to be earmarked to purchase a third reactive speed indicator device (with smiley/frown face) and £20,000 to be placed in general reserves. 

23.69 To receive the minutes from the Personnel sub-committee meeting held on Tuesday 28 March 2023.   

Councillor Gilbert introduced the minutes from this meeting advising that the meeting with two of the maintenance workers had been very useful. He stated that a vehicle policy, condition report form and changes to the staff contracts and handbook would be required. 

Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe had obtained costings for two suitable vehicles one of which had now been sold and the other committee members agreed that these were good examples and that the purchase of a vehicle would be a positive move. 

It was agreed to recommend to Council that the £20,000 windfall should be used to purchase insure and tax a vehicle and that this committee should be given the delegated powers to pursue this. If this is recommendation is resolved this committee also recommends that the allowance for the first maintenance worker ceases and the allowance for the second maintenance worker is doubled  

23.70 To agree the date of the next meeting – TBC 

Meeting ended at 8.30pm