Minutes - Finance and Policy committee - 16 August 2021
Draft notes of a meeting of Finance & Policy committee held at the Bracebridge Heath Community Library on 16th August 2021 at 19:40
Present: Cllrs Adeyemi, Barr, Blackmore, Callan, Kilcoyne and Manders.
In attendance: Mrs S Knowles, Clerk to Council.
1. To receive apologies and accept valid reasons for absence– Nil
2. To receive members’ declarations of disclosable pecuniary, non-disclosable pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests in relation to any agenda item – Cllr Manders declared a non-pecuniary interest in matters relating to St John’s Primary Academy’s application for a grant. Cllr Kilcoyne declared a non-pecuniary interest in matters relating to the Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils.
3. To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 19th April 2021- It was RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Finance & Policy committee held on 19th April 2021 be approved as a correct record and signed by the chairman.
4. To consider budget, income and expenditure – No concerns raised.
5. To consider payment of accounts – It was RESOLVED: That the committee approve the payment of accounts.
6. To consider levels of earmarked reserves – It was RESOLVED: That the following earmarked reserves are increased or created as follows:
Burial Ground and Woodland – £2,500
Elections reserve - £3,500
Play Equipment - £5,000
Street lighting repairs £25,000
Events - £2,500
Lincoln Eastern Bypass (LEB) improvement - £2,500 subject to the necessary permissions. Project details to be determined by the
Environment committee.
It was RESOLVED: That the earmarked reserve for COVID-19 grants is used for expenditure relating to the installation of CCTV at the pavilion, the
reserve to be reduced accordingly on receipt of the invoice.
7. To consider changes to bank signatories – It was RESOLVED: That Cllr Hauton be removed as a named individual on Council’s bank account.
It was RESOLVED: That Cllr Callan be added as an authorised signatory and Cllr Moran be removed from the bank mandate.
8. To receive an update and consider any action regarding Council’s application for a credit card– A verbal report was provided.
9. To consider Parish Council grants – Cllr Adeyemi declared a non-pecuniary interest in matters relating to the Friendship Club at 20:17
It was RESOLVED: That a grant of £250 be awarded to the Friendship Club.
It was agreed that St John’s Primary Academy be invited to provide further information regarding the grant application.
It was RESOLVED: That a grant of £350 be awarded to the Bracebridge Heath Women’s Institute.
It was RESOLVED: That a grant of £1500 be awarded to the Bracebridge Heath Cricket Club, the funding held within the Healthy Hub grant to be used for this purpose.
10. To consider policies and governance documents for review – It was RESOLVED: That the Adoption policy be amended as recommended, v1.1 adopted.
It was RESOLVED: That the Maternity policy be amended as recommended, v2.1 adopted.
It was RESOLVED: That the Paternity policy be amended as recommended, v2.1 adopted.
It was RESOLVED: That the Shared Parental Leave policy be amended as recommended, v2.1 adopted.
It was RESOLVED: That the Absence policy be amended as recommended, v2.1 adopted.
It was RESOLVED: That the Councillor / Employee protocol be amended as recommended, v1.2 adopted.
It was RESOLVED: That the Grant Awarding policy be amended as recommended, v2.1 adopted.
It was RESOLVED: That a recommendation be made to Full Council to continue with the existing Code of Conduct, no changes required.
It was RESOLVED: That the Freedom of Information policy be amended as recommended, v1.1 adopted.
It was RESOLVED: That the Document Retention Policy be amended as recommended, v2.2 adopted.
Action Plan – the action plan was reviewed and verbal updates were given throughout.
11. To consider councillor and employee training – A written and verbal report was provided. Recommendations within the report to be shared with Full Council.
12. To consider purchase of a replacement laptop for the clerk and set a schedule for regular replacement of IT equipment – It was RESOLVED: That the clerk be authorised to purchase a laptop to the specification agreed and to the value of £600 plus VAT.
It was RESOLVED: That a schedule for review and replacement (if necessary) of IT equipment be set for every three years to ensure that equipment continues to meet the needs of the Council.
It was RESOLVED: That Standing Order 3v be suspended and the meeting be permitted an additional 30 minutes to conclude business.
13. To consider a parish information sheet – It was RESOLVED: That Council publish a parish information sheet in September 2021 through Tucann Ltd.
Cllr Barr gave apologies and left the meeting at 21:45
14. Items for the agenda of the next committee meeting – Parish council grants (St John’s Primary Academy), policies for review.
Items of a confidential nature to be debated in the absence of the press and public. Under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 (due to the confidential nature of business)
It was RESOLVED: That the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the consideration of the following items on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information.
15. To consider legal matters relating to Red Hall Farm Lane – It was RESOLVED: That the solicitor’s recommendation be accepted and further legal advice be sought.
There being no further business the chairman closed the meeting at 22:15
Signed_______________________________Chairman 18th October 2021