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CHEPPING WYCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL
Finance and General Purposes Committee
Report of the meeting held on Tuesday, 11 February 2020 commencing at 7.30pm
in the Council Chamber, Cock Lane, Tylers Green, High Wycombe, Bucks HP10 8DS
The meeting was open to members of the public and press
Present: Cllr I Forbes – Chairman Cllr M Wilkes
Cllr J Herschel – Vice-chairman Cllr R Wilks
Cllr B Kin Cllr J Gurney
Cllr L Willis Cllr K Wood (ex-officio)
(Vacancy TG)
Also present: Cllr S Digby and Cllr A Barron
Due to the previous planning meeting over-running the committee meeting started at 7.35pm
FGP/19/030 Apologies for absence
Apologies for absence were received and approved from Cllr Dodds (holiday) and Cllr Darch (family)
FGP/19/031 Declarations of members’ interests in agenda items
There were none.
FGP/19/032 Staff Matters
1 Staff Absence Report
Members received a report on the sickness absence of staff since the last committee meeting in December; there had been one member of the admin team who had been off for one working day.
2 Staff Panel Report
Members were asked to consider the report from the recent meeting of the Staff Panel, with a view to recommending its implementation to full Council.
It was RESOLVED that;
an initial 2% uplift to all staff be recommended to full Council with a view to waiting for the outcome of the national agreement. There would be no changes to pension contributions and any individual bonuses would be reviewed following the completion of the appraisals.
Cllr Herschel abstained from the vote.
It was noted that Cllr Herschel advised that he was concerned particularly about the pay rate of the Assistant Clerk and felt that the lower paid members of staff should receive a higher percentage payment.
FGP/19/033 Policies and Procedures
1 Risk Register
Members were asked to review the draft Risk Register, with a view to making comments/ additions.
It was RESOLVED that;
further work was required to the ‘Review frequency & Responsible Person’ column prior to being taken to full Council a revised version would be brought back to the next committee meeting in April.
2 Environmental Policy
Members were asked to review the draft Environmental Policy, with a view to making comments/ additions prior to being recommended for adoption at full Council. Members were asked to note that the document had been updated following the Works & Services committee meeting.
It was RESOLVED that;
the updated Environmental Policy be recommended for adoption at full Council.
3 Appointment of Internal Auditor
Members were asked to consider with a view to recommending to full Council the re-appointment of Mr E Newhouse as Internal Auditor for the financial year 2019/20.
It was RESOLVED that;
Mr E Newhouse would be recommended to full Council for re-appointment as Internal Auditor for 2019/20 year end.
4 Ethical Banking
Members were asked to consider instructing the Clerk to investigate the implications of changing to an ethical bank and to make recommendations at the next committee meeting.
It was RESOLVED that;
the Clerk be instructed to investigate ethical banking with a view to making recommendations at the next committee meeting in April.
FGP/19/034 Health & Safety
Members were asked to note there had been no incidents since the last committee meeting in December.
Cllr Kin temporarily left the meeting between 8.03 and 8.05pm
FGP/19/035 Legal
1 Dog Waste Collection
Members were asked to note that the current provider proposed to increase their price per bin collection by 78.5%, from £2.80 to £5.00. There was no contract and therefore no formal termination period.
Members were asked to consider an alternative provider who was presented as the best quotation received to undertake the contract at £3.35 per bin collection with immediate effect.
It was RESOLVED that;
the alternative provider be appointed and the Clerk was asked to create with the new provider an appropriate Service Level Agreement.
FGP/19/036 Neighbourhood Action Group
Members were asked to note that the next NAG meeting had been held on 6 February 2020 at the Flackwell Heath Community Library, Chapel Road.
Cllr Kin had been present and advised that the Flackwell Heath MVAS team needed more volunteers, particularly on the data download side. Cllr R Wilks and Cllr Barron volunteered to assist.
FGP/19/037 Grants
Members were asked to note that there had been no further requests received for grants, the current budget line for Grant stands at £1,000. However, this amount has been offered to the Flackwell Heath Bowls Club as a contribution towards the new mower.
It was noted that the Flackwell Heath Bowls Club had requested assistance with the service/repair of their existing mower as they could not proceed with the purchase of a new machine. It was agreed that the amount already offered could be used for up to half the cost of the repair of the existing mower upon receipt of an invoice for said works.
It was also noted that a VE Day request would be coming from the Penn & Tylers Green VE Day Committee which would be assessed at full Council.
FGP/19/038 Website
Members were asked to note that the website was now proceeding. The Clerk will be in contact
with the web designer, reporting back to the working party during the process.
FGP/19/039 Publicity
Members were asked to note the report from the recent Publicity meeting. Members were asked to make contributions to the newsletter.
FGP/19/040 Calendar of Meeting Dates 2020/21
Members were asked to consider revised version of the meeting schedule for 2020/21 for approval at the full Council meeting on Tuesday 17 December.
It was RESOLVED that;
the calendar of meeting dates for 2020/21 version 4 be recommended to full Council for approval.
FGP/19/041 Committee Projects
Members were asked to bring to the meeting suggestions of projects that could be taken forward by the committee in the new financial year.
It was noted that no suggestions were made.
FGP/19/042 Budget
1 Committee Finances (Period 9) – December
Member were asked to note the current status of the committee’s income and expenditure.
The accounts were currently showing income above run rate and expenditure below run rate. It is expected that there will be a surplus from the committee at year end.
2 Council Finances (Period 9) – December
Members were asked to note the summary of income and expenditure by committee.
3 Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
Members were asked to note that the current CIL total stands at £30,108.58; £6770.00 which needs to be spent by 2021/22 and £23,338.58 which needs to be spent by 2022/23.
FGP/19/043 Questions from council members and the public
Cllr R Wilks asked about the election in May and how to obtain the paperwork. It was agreed that the Clerk would obtain a set of paperwork and send it out to each member who wished to continue to stand.
FGP/19/044 Accounts for Payment
Accounts for payment were circulated at the meeting for consideration by councillors.
Cllr Herschel queried cheque number 10095. The Clerk advised that the foxgloves were for the car park area, King’s Wood and the begonia bulbs were for planters. Cllr Herschel also queried the Castle Water direct debit for the allotment site as the water was turned off. The Clerk advised that Castle Water charge the same amount each month and then credit the account when the meter is read.
Cllr A Barron asked why there were two payments for tyres for the Kubota – the Clerk advised that one was for a repair and the second was for a spare wheel so there would be no down time for the mower.
It was RESOLVED that;
the accounts for payment be approved and cheques numbered 10080 to 10096 and direct debits to Barclays, Castle Water, Npower, Shell and SSE be approved and signed.
The chairman thanked members for their attendance and closed the meeting at 8.30pm
Date and time of next meeting: Thursday, 23 April 2020
Signed: Dated: 27 February 2020