11-02-21 Finance and General Purpose Committee Agenda

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CHEPPING WYCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL
Finance and General Purposes Committee
Members of the council are summoned to attend the meeting to be held on Thursday 11 February 2021 at 7pm via Microsoft Teams
Under the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus)(Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 (4 April 2020) allowing Local Authorities flexibility to hold meetings at a time, day and frequency to suit their own needs, without the requirement for further notice

The meeting is open to members of the public and press

Committee Members: Cllr I Forbes – Chairman Cllr M Wilkes
Cllr J Herschel – Vice-chairman Cllr R Wilks
Cllr B Kin Cllr J Gurney
Cllr H Darch Cllr D Johncock
Cllr C Dodds Cllr K Wood (ex-officio)
Cllr L Willis

Members of the committee are summoned to consider the following business:

AGENDA
1. Apologies for absence
Schedule 12 of the Local Government Act 1972 requires a record be kept of the Members present and that this record form part of the minutes of the meeting. Members who cannot attend a meeting should tender apologies to the Clerk.

2. Declarations of members’ interests in agenda items
To receive any pecuniary or non-pecuniary declarations of interest and confirmation of any relevant dispensations.
I. Under the Localism Act 2011 (sections 26-37 and Schedule 4) and in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, Members are required to declare any interests which are not currently entered in the Member’s Register of Interests or if he/she has not notified the Monitoring Officer (Clerk) of it.
II. Should any Member have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in an item on the agenda, the Member may not participate in consideration of that item unless a Dispensation has first been requested (in writing) and granted by the Council.

3. Staff Matters
3.1 Staff Absence Report

4. Policies & Procedures
4.1 Ethical Banking
4.2 Appointment of Internal Auditor

5. Health & Safety

6. Legal
6.1 Flackwell Heath Scouts & Guides
6.2 Flackwell Heath Scouts & Guides – Waste-Water Treatment Plant
6.3 Wayleaves with Openreach – Rays Lane & Nursery Lane, Tylers Green

7. Grants
7.1 Tylers Green First School
7.2 Flackwell Heath Scouts & Guides

8. Publicity

9. Website

10. Town & Parish Charter

11. Budget
11.1 Committee Budget (Period 10) January
11.2 Council Finances (Period 10) January
11.3 EMR report and proposals
11.4 Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

12. Questions from council members and the public

13. Accounts for Payment

AGENDA ITEM 3
Staff Matters
3.1 Staff Absence Report
Members are asked to RECEIVE a report on the sickness absence of staff since the last committee meeting in November.

AGENDA ITEM 4
Policies and Procedures
4.1 Ethical Banking
Members are asked to NOTE that due to the recent lockdown banks are not opening new accounts and are unwilling to provide interest rate information. This item will be put on hold until later in the year.

4.2 Internal Auditor
Members are asked to CONSIDER with a view to recommending the re-appointment of Mr E Newhouse as Internal Auditor for the financial year 2020/21. Last year Mr Newhouse’s fee was £325.00.

AGENDA ITEM 5
Health & Safety
Members are asked to NOTE that there have been no incidents since the last committee meeting in November.

AGENDA ITEM 6
Legal
6.1 Flackwell Heath Scouts & Guides
Members are asked to NOTE that further works have been undertaken without prior permission at the above site. A concrete pad has been laid and a concrete block seating area is being constructed. The clerk contacted the Scouts who advised that they felt that no permission was required.

6.2 Flackwell Heath Scouts & Guides – Waste-Water Treatment Plant
Members are asked to NOTE the commissioning report at APPENDIX A for the above plant.

6.3 Wayleaves with Openreach – Rays Lane & Nursery Lane, Tylers Green
Members are asked to NOTE that Openreach are undertaking cabling works around Tylers Green, a wayleave has been drawn up as attached at APPENDIX B. All works will have a 6 month return to site to include any further making good to the tracks. Any costs incurred to be covered by Openreach.
AGENDA ITEM 7
Grants
7.1 Tylers Green First School
Members are asked to CONSIDER the grant application for a wi-fi burglar alarm system for the school APPENDIX C. The school currently do not have an alarm. The application is in the sum of £1,000 for a £2,000 system.

7.2 Flackwell Heath Scouts & Guides
Members are asked to CONSIDER the renewed application from the Flackwell Heath Scouts & Guides for a contribution towards the recently completed waste-water treatment plant of £1,500 APPENDIX D. Members are reminded that this grant was originally approved in January 2017 but lapsed due to the time taken to install the plant.

AGENDA ITEM 8
Publicity
Members are asked to NOTE that the newsletter is ready for delivery, along with the Dementia Friendly Community leaflet.

AGENDA ITEM 9
Website
Members are asked to NOTE that the website is now up and running but still in maintenance mode. Our web designer still has control of all the updating.

AGENDA ITEM 10
Town and Parish Charter
Members are asked to CONSIDER the attached Charter at APPENDIX E. Discussion lead by Cllr Katrina Wood.

AGENDA ITEM 11
Budget
11.1 Committee budget (Period 10) – January
Member are asked to NOTE the current status of the committee’s income and expenditure. APPENDIX F

11.2 Council Finances (Period 10) – January
Members are asked to NOTE the summary of income and expenditure by committee. APPENDIX G

11.3 EMR report and proposals
Members are asked to CONSIDER the attached report at APPENDIX H detailing the current position, with a view to recommending an increased transfer at the end of the year of £10k into the Cemeteries EMR from the surplus in the Cemeteries income budget line.

Members are also asked to CONSIDER the recommendation from the Open Spaces committee to vire to the Play Equipment EMR;

• £12,779.00 for an inclusive roundabout
• £16,000.00 for fencing around the play area
• The possible inclusion of a zipline in the region of £11,000

Total for further consideration for recommendation to full Council £40,000.

11.4 Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
Members are asked to NOTE that the current CIL total stands at £32,378 following the approval of £12,860 for fencing around the play area at Ashley Drive.

AGENDA ITEM 12
Questions from council members and the public
A maximum of fifteen minutes will be given to members of the public, who may make representations, ask and answer questions and/or give evidence in respect of any item of business included in the agenda. If the chairman of the meeting agrees, representations and questions may be taken at the beginning of the meeting. Members of the public wishing to speak at the beginning of the meeting should inform the Clerk of this request as soon as possible.

AGENDA ITEM 13
Accounts for Payment
Accounts for payment are to be circulated at the meeting for consideration by councillors.

Date and time of next meeting: Thursday 15 April 2021 @ 7pm – via TEAMS

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