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Minutes of the Meeting of the Finance and Personnel Committee of Drayton Parish Council

held on Monday 19th November 2018 at the Drayton Village Hall (Lounge),Lockway, Drayton, OX14 4LF at 7.00pm

Present:

1. Pat Athawes (Chairman)
2. Richard Williams
3. Graham Webb
4. Matthew Lowy

In attendance:

1. Lorraine Watling (Clerk)

Public

None

13) Apologies for absence

None

14a) Declarations of Interest:

None

14b) Dispensations received by the Clerk:

None

15) The Minutes of the Meetings of 17th September 2018:

were approved as a true record.

• Proposed: Pat Athawes
• Seconded: Richard Williams
• Resolved: Unanimously

16) General Power of Competence:

It was noted that Drayton Parish Council no longer has the General Power of Competence due to its having insufficient elected Councillors.

17) Budget Review Based Upon Account Analysis for April-October 2018 (7 months)

The Committee received and considered a report of the receipts and payments for the current financial year to 31st October 2018 (7 Months), a budget forecast to 31st March 2019 and a suggested budget for 2019/20 (at Appendix A).

1. Budget Review:

The major differences forecast to year end are as follows:

(i) Income

1. The figures in alpha differ slightly to the budget approved by Council in May 2018 as the precept requested was increased from £80k to £85k but alpha was not updated accordingly.
2. VAT has not been included as it will be reclaimed and the amount will vary depending on the expenditure.
3. The income has differed to that originally anticipated as follows:
   – The PC has received an insurance pay out of £435 for the concrete bin that was destroyed by a vehicle at the Village Hall
   – a budget of £2,000 was allocated to cemetery and memorial income and so far this year the Council has already received £2403.00
   – The income from the allotments is less than anticipated due to the timings of the receipts. A budget of £650 was included however allotment payments totalling £504 were receipted on 16/03/18 for year 2018/19 so were included in last years accounts. £121.00 for ground rent has been received.
   
4. The total actual income as at 31 October 2018 is therefore £87,967.00 a difference of £305.00

(ii) Expenditure

1. The Council is currently underspent largely due to the delays arising from Walnut Meadows.
2. Staff: The appointment of an additional member of staff to work on the Councils projects has been delayed and therefore this budget has not been used.
3. Grants and Donations: currently underspent although more grant applications are being considered in December 2018.
4. S142: currently no expenditure against this budget but it is anticipated that a bill will be received.
5. Burial Ground/Allotments: Currently underspent but the troughs have recently been reset by the Deputy Clerk and so there will be a charge for this, new signage may be made and the hedge may be cut in the spring.
6. Play and Recreation: underspent as the new play area at Walnut Meadows has yet to be finished. Miller Homes will pay for a qualified RoSPA inspector to check the new equipment and produce a post installation report that will be given to the Parish Council before the Parish Council accepts the play area.
7. Press and Public Relations, Public Amenities/Open Spaces, Room Hire and Legal and Other Professional Fees, Events and Drayton 2020 Projects: the delays at the Walnut Meadows development mean that these budgets are underspent.

2. Budget Forecast:

Although some budget lines will be overspent and others underspent the overall budget will be underspent at the end of the 2018/19 financial year. The major differences are as follows:

1. Burial Ground/Memorials: It as anticipated that there will be more income than originally anticipated and less expenditure.
2. Staff: Payments have been made to the existing staff for work done servicing the Projects Board Committee. The overall general staff budget line, the HMRC budget line and the pensions budget lines will therefore be overspent but this will be balanced out by the underspend on project specific staff costs.
3. Training and Expenses: These budgets will be overspent due to the recent training that has been booked and the mileage that will arise from this. There is also a stationary bill to account for which will be paid in November and more may be required before the end of the year.
4. Subscriptions: The budget for subscriptions was initially understated and so will be overspent.
5. Grants and Donations: It is anticipated that this budget heading will be underspent but the budget line for s137 will be overspent.
6. Play and Recreation and Public Amenities/open spaces: These budgets will be underspent due to the delayed handover of the new play area and pitches at Walnut Meadows.
7. The budgets associated with Drayton Projects will be underspent due to the delays arising from Walnut Meadows. It is therefore recommended that an ear-marked reserve is established which will enable the Council to start saving towards the future significant capital costs that are anticipated. The more money that the Council puts into an earmarked reserve for the new pavilion, the less it will eventually need to borrow from the Public Works Loan Board. This will also reduce the associated debt interest that will be charged.

The current budget underspend is anticipated to be in the region of £36,800.

3. Budget for 2019/20.

The draft budget that went to the Finance Committee was based upon this years budget and forecast out-turn. At this stage the tax base for 2019/20 was not known.

The following assumptions were made:

1. An ear marked reserve will have been started for the new pavilion opened using the forecasted underspend from the current year.
2. Money will be allocated to the ear marked reserve in 2019/2020

Actions Required at the December 2018 Parish Council Meeting:

That the Parish Council:

1. Formally notes the budget review, forecast and draft budget v1 (Appendix A)
2. Discusses and agrees the Parish Council precept that will be requested from VWHDC for 2019/2020 and used for budgeting purposes.
3. Considers the proposed budget, discusses and agrees any amendments such as a revised precept at the December 2018 Parish Council meeting in order that the final budget can be bought to the Parish Council for formal approval in January 2019.
4. Gives approval for an ear marked reserve to be established for the new Pavilion – money will then be set aside annually for this purpose until the building is built. Although a Public Works Loan will still be required to fund the build the amount needed would be reduced.

18) Grants.

The Finance Committee received and considered a paper (Appendix B) from the Parish Clerk that noted the grants that had already been paid during 2018/19 and the five grant applications that had been received since the Finance Committee met in September. One of the applications received was from the DAMASCUS Youth Club requesting a grant for 2018-19. This was a duplication of the previous grant application which the Council had agreed and paid on 04/06/2018 and therefore this second grant application was not considered.

Actions Required at the December 2018 Parish Council Meeting:

That the Parish Council formally ratifies the following grant applications approved by the Finance Committee for payment in 2018/19.

1. 
   Organisation The Abingdon Bridge.
   Amount Approved £1,000.00
   Power Being Used LGA 1972 s137
   Approval resolved (unanimous)
   
   
2. 
   Organisation Drayton Football Club
   Amount Approved £350.00
   Power Being Used LGA 1972 s19
   The Finance Committee did not want to commit the new Council. It agreed to approve a grant for 5 cuts at £70 a cut between December 2018 and April 2019 (inclusive). A further grant for additional cuts can then be reviewed by the new Council in May 2019.
   Proposed: Cllr Richard Williams
   Seconded: Cllr P Athawes
   Approval resolved (unanimous)
   
   
3. 
   Organisation Oxfordshire South & Vale Citizens Advice Bureau
   Amount Approved £1,100.00
   Power Being Used LGA 1972 s137
   Proposed: Cllr Richard Williams
   Seconded: Cllr P Athawes
   Approval resolved (unanimous)
   
   
4. 
   Organisation Be Free Young Carers
   Amount Approved £375.00
   Power Being Used LGA 1972 s137
   

Total amount of grant expenditure: £2,825.00

19) Draft Expenditure Budget 2019-20:

This agenda item was received and considered by the Finance Committee with the Budget review and noted at minute 17 above.

20) Parish Council Debit Card:

As the Clerk is often the Responsible Financial Officer for a Parish Council it is good practice to minimise the need for them to use their personal finances when making purchases for the Parish Council. Many Parish Councils therefore have an Impress account or a Council Debit card which the Clerk is authorised to use as a form of ‘petty cash’ for stationary or other small purchases. The Clerk has set up the agreed frequent printing plan with the HP Instant Ink service at a cost of £7.99 for 300 pages a month – plus £1 a set for any additional sets of 25 pages, but has requested that a Council bank card be obtained and used for other on-line or other purchases when required. Unity Bank can issue such a bank card – it would be a cash card whereby the statement balance must be cleared at the end of each month.

Recommendation from the Finance Committee: That the Parish Council:

(a) authorises the Clerk to apply for a Parish Council bank card from the Unity Bank

(b) approves the rules and regulations relating to the use of the Council bank card attached at Appendix C

21) Personnel Matters

The Clerk has worked an additional 16 hours preparing the budget review and forecast for 2018/19 and draft budget for 2019/20. The Finance Committee Approved (unanimous) that the Clerk be paid 16 hours overtime for the additional work arising from budget review, forecast and drafting of the 2019/20 budget.

• Proposed: Patricia Athawes
• Seconded: Richard Williams
• Resolved: Unanimously

22) Any Other Matters discussed by the Finance Committee:

(a) That the Clerk will try and schedule all future Finance Committee meetings to be held in the Caudwell Day Centre on the third Monday of the month and that a minimum of 1 hour will be allocated to these meetings.

23) The date of the next meeting.

The next Finance and Personnel Committee meeting will take place on Monday 21st January 2019 at 7.00pm, in the Caudwell Day Centre.

The meeting concluded at 9.15pm

Signed: Pat Athawes (Chairman, Finance and Personnel Committee)

Date: 21st January 2019

Appendix A

2018-19 Budget review Nov 2018

Appendix B

Grant Applications 2018-19

Approved as at 31st Oct 2018

1. 
   Drayton FC
   Amount £70.00
   Date Paid 14/05/2018
   Power LGA 1972 s19
   
   
2. 
   Drayton FC
   Amount £140.00
   Date Paid 04/06/2018
   Power LGA 1972 s19
   
   
3. 
   Julian Cook for Drayton FC
   Amount £210.00
   Date Paid 04/06/2018
   Power LGA 1972 s19
   
   
4. 
   Drayton FC
   Amount £140.00
   Date Paid 04/10/2018
   Power LGA 1972 s19
   
   
5. 
   Drayton FC
   Amount £420.00
   Date Paid 13/11/2018 Sept, Oct, Nov
   Power LGA 1972 S137
   
   
6. 
   Friends of Drayton School – Village Fete
   Amount £500.00
   Date Paid 04/06/2018
   Power LGA 1972 s19
   
   
7. 
   DAMASCUS Youth Project 2018-19
   Amount £3,500.00
   Date Paid 04/06/2018
   Power LGA 1972 s19
   
   
8. 
   Clean Slate
   Amount £100.00
   Date Paid 04/06/2018
   Power LGA 1972 S137
   
   

Grant Applications to Consider at Finance and Personnel Committee Meeting on 19/11/18/

1. 
   DAMASCUS Youth Project 2018-19
   Amount £3,500.00 Duplicate
   REPLICATION of grant application rec’d in June
   
   
2. 
   The Abingdon Bridge
   Amount £1,000.00
   For Running Costs
   Power LGA 1972 S137
   
   
3. 
   Drayton Football Club
   Amount £1,680.00
   For cuts between Dec 2018 and Nov 2019
   Power LGA 1972 s19
   
   
4. 
   Oxfordshire South & Vale Citizens Advice
   Amount £1,100.00
   To support the core advice service
   Power LGA 1972 S137
   
   
5. 
   Be Free Young Cares
   Amount £375.00
   Social Activities
   Power LGA 1972 S137
   
   

Total £7,655.00

LMW

17/11/2018

Appendix C

Rules for the use of the Drayton Parish Council Bank Card

The following procedures will be followed:

1. The bank card will be used for purchases for Drayton Parish Council only.
2. It will be used primarily for stationary and miscellaneous purchases that are made via the internet or in high street shops.
3. The bank card will be kept locked away when not in use.
4. The PIN number shall be kept secure.
5. The use of the debit card is restricted to the Council’s Proper Officer – the Clerk/RFO.
6. Purchases will be authorised by the Parish Council Chairman, the Vice Chairman, Chair of the F&PWG beforehand, or in the event that this is not possible, the Clerk will report the use of the bank card to them as soon as practicably possible after the event.
7. The purchases made using the bank card will be checked against the bank statement every month.
8. The Parish Clerk shall file the receipts for payment and/or supporting documentation on the finance file.
9. The total monthly spending limit will not exceed £100 for any one item and £300 in any one month.
10. The authorisation to use the bank card sits with the post holder and not the individual who is employed as Parish Clerk.
11. The card will not be used to withdraw cash.
12. Any loss, irregularity or misuse will be reported to the police as soon as it is discovered.

Lorraine Watling

19/11/18