FPPC October 2025 Minutes
DEEPING ST JAMES PARISH COUNCIL
The Institute, 38 Church Street, Deeping St James, Peterborough PE6 8HD
e-mail: clerk@deepingstjames-pc.gov.uk Tel: 01778 343266
Webpage: deeping-st-james.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk
Parish Clerk: Julie Fortnum
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 07 October 2025.
Present: Councillors Gilbert, Hosking, Neville, Rose, Shinkins-Hoppe and Stevens.
26.26 To receive apologies of absence.
Apologies were received an accepted from Councillors Bowell and Halls
26.27 To receive any declarations of interest.
None declared.
26.28 To adopt the minutes of the previous meeting held on Tuesday 12 August 2025.
Agreed and signed following an amendment under 26.23 – the date Friday 28 August 2025 was changed to Friday 29 August 2025
26.29 To receive the Clerk’s report.
- The Cross was valued for insurance purposes by Barrett Corp and Harrington in October 2022 and they have contacted the Council on 11 September 2025 advising that to keep our sum insured accurate and compliant RICS recommend that we have a major review three years after the site based Reinstatement Cost Assessment. This will cost £99 plus VAT
-The dsjpc.co.uk domain is due to expire on 3 November 2025 and will not be renewed due to the Parish Council now having the domain deepingstjames-pc.gov.uk. The IT Technician visited the office on Monday 29 September and completed the necessary work -Information has been provided to Councillor Bowell to clarify the spend against the community events budget which has clarified the income and expenditure position
-The newly adopted/amended Financial Regulations, Staff Handbook, Information Technology and Email, GDPR and CCTV policies have been forwarded to the LALC Webmaster to added/updated on to the Parish Council’s website
-An email has been issued to the Manager of the Hinckley and Rugby Building Society to ask for guidance on how to apply for a 90-day notice account. This was a recommendation from the previous meeting to be put to Council on 12 August 2025 however it was missed so will be put to the vote at the meeting on 14 October 2025. Application obtained
-Following the resignation of Councillor Laws there is a requirement for additional Councillors to step forward to act as banking – Councillor Neville has agreed to do this
-Interest rates will reduce from 11 November and 23 November respectively on the Barclays Business Savings Account and the Unity Trust Instant Access Account
-A direct debit mandate has been requested from npower to pay the invoices relating to the electricity supply for the Telephone box on Church Street
-A new contract (1-year fixed rate) for electricity at Woody Heights has been agreed from 15 November 2025 offering an estimated saving on the current tariff of £129.09
-Communication was received on 27 August from the Lincolnshire County Councillor Valuer regarding the replacement of the original lease plan for the DSJPC owned piece on the playing fields on Spalding Road with a new lease plan which DSJPC agreed to in October 2023. Apparently the Solicitor appointed by DSJPC has not actioned this on our behalf. Following a phone call in which it was confirmed that the contact had left the firm appointed and a new contact has been provided to LCC
-The Parish Clerk contacted the CCTV provider who advised that they just service and maintain it, The data DSJPC hold is with us. DSJPC need to register with the ICO for CCTV systems. DSJPC will be the person/business responsible for any data; they don't access it. As DSJPC are already registered with ICO the Parish Clerk needs to check if this covers CCTV too
26.30 To receive a report of the financial position as at 01 October 2025.
The Parish Clerk/RFO advised that money had been transferred from the general earmark fund to the Funday Sunday earmark reserve to ensure the balance available for the Sunday Funday event in 2026 matched the accounts for this event (£2002.31)
26.31 To receive a report on the income and expenditure against budget for the period 1 April 2024 to 01 October 2025.
The report was noted with no concerns raised
26.32 To receive the monthly bank reconciliations for the periods 1 April to 31 August 2025.
The 5 bank reconciliations were accepted and signed by Councillor Gilbert
26.33 To receive and consider the provisional budget recommendations for 2026/27 from the Allotments, Cemetery, Planning and Transport, Recreation and Open Spaces Committees.
Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe requested the budget for Community events was increased by £500 to cover the DSJPC contribution to the Fund Sunday 2026 event. The Clerk suggested that prior to agreeing to this the Council should agree what events it will be involved with during 2026/27 as the draft budget of £3000 may already be sufficient to cover a contribution to the Funday Sunday 2026 event. It was noted that the events that were known about for 2026 were – the Annual Parish Meeting and Making A Difference Awards, Funday Sunday, the Deepings Dog Show, the DSJ Remembrance Parade and the Carols in the Marquee.
ACTION: The Clerk to provide a breakdown of costings for these events based on current year spend to be prepared.
26.34 To consider all non-committee budget headings for 2026/27 in preparation for precept setting.
The Clerk confirmed that a request for funding for 2026/27 had been received from the Deeping Community Library and this would be considered at the Council meeting on Tuesday 14 October 2025. Nothing had been received to date from The Deeping Youth Group and Citizen Advice South Lincolnshire.
ACTION: Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe to contact DYG to remind them and the Clerk to remind the CASL when she attends a meeting with representatives on Wednesday 15 October 2025
ACTION: The Clerk to prepare a draft budget to be shared with the FP&P committee members prior to the meeting on 9 December 2025
26.35 To receive the draft grant policy.
Councillor Halls had advised that this had not been completed and Councillor Shinkins -Hoppe volunteered to do this.
26.36 To receive guidance from Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils and reconsider the need for an Investment policy.
Following advice received from the Lincolnshire of Local Councils, which had not been available when Council resolved not to have an investment policy (minute 26.50.1a August 2025), the Committee RECOMMENDED under Standing Order 7 (a) that the decision is
reversed. Councillor Shinkins-Hoppe volunteered to look at the policy should this recommendation be accepted by Council
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
26.37 To receive and consider any personnel matters
Councillor Gilbert shared some issues of concern which would require a meeting with members of staff. The personnel sub-committee would be required to meet initially to consider how these issues were to be approached.
It was RESOLVED to move out of closed session.
26.38 To note the date of the next meeting – 8pm Tuesday 09 December 2025