Minutes of the Meeting of the Finance and Personnel Committee of Drayton Parish Council
held on Monday 21st January 2019 in the Caudwell Day Centre, Gravel Lane, Drayton, OX14 4HF at 7.00pm (delayed start – started at 7.52pm)
Present:
- Pat Athawes (Chairman)
- Richard Williams
- Graham Webb
- Matthew Lowy
In attendance:
- Lorraine Watling (Clerk)
- Chris Price (Deputy Clerk)
Public
None
24) Apologies for absence
None
25a) Declarations of Interest:
None
25b) Dispensations received by the Clerk:
None
26) The Minutes of the Meetings of 19th November 2018:
were approved as a true record.
- Proposed: Graham Webb
- Seconded: Matthew Lowy
- Resolved: Unanimously
27) Asset Register:
The asset register was received and considered. It was noted that the DeputyClerk still has the Canon b&w printer.
Actions agreed:
- The serial numbers of the Drayton PC laptops and printers will be added to the asset register.
- Cllr Lowy will try and reformat the asset register so that it includes additional columns that show a picture of the asset and also its location. This information is currently in a separate document that is used for the Risk Assessment. The Clerk will send the required documents to Cllr Lowy electronically.
28) Other Financial Documents:
The Clerk will circulate the current Financial Regulations and the Finance and Personnel Committee Terms of Reference in order that they can be reviewed to check that they are still up to date. The Drayton PC financial regulations are based upon the 2015 National Association of Local Councils (NALC) model regulations and so the Clerk will confirm whether an updated NALC model is available. If so the Drayton Financial Regulations will be updated to reflect the latest model.
29) Budget Update to 31st December 2018 (9 months)
The latest income and expenditure reports from Alpha were distributed. The various cost centres were discussed. Although some budgets will be overspent the overall position is that the Council will have money left at the end of the year that can go into ear-marked reserves. It was agreed that:
- The Clerk will confirm with the Village Hall Manager whether any fees are due and if so request an invoice for payment.
- The Clerk will suggest to Revd Heywood that the hedges at the cemetery be reduced to six foot tall as this would make them easier to maintain going forward whilst still preserving people’s privacy when visiting the cemetery or working on the allotments
- The alpha codes will be reviewed by the Clerk when she inputs the Council’s agreed budget. There will be one cost code for the cemetery income. New codes will be added and others revised to make the types of expenditure easier to identify.
It was noted that a few amendments will be needed to the budget that was agreed by Council. This is because:
- The precept that was agreed at the December Council meeting was slightly less than in the draft document that was circulated.
- The salary award is now known and so these figures will be used in the 2019-20 budget. One of the miscellaneous budgets will be reduced accordingly so that the overall budget figures will remain the same. Clerk will circulate the revised document to the Council.
The Clerk has collated the various sources of information that relate to the Council’s overall financial position and summarised this in a table that was circulated to Cllrs and is attached at Appendix A. This will be updated regularly.
29) Recommendation for the Parish Council’s General Reserve for 2019-20:
The Clerk distributed a paper (Appendix B) that showed the Council’s average spend over the past 12 months was £4133.77 per month. The current account at 31st March 2018 which was bought forward was £58,168.56. This was the general revenue reserve. Parish Councils should retain between 3 and 12 months average expenditure in a general revenue reserve.
The Finance Committee RECOMMENDS that:
1. The Parish Council retain 11 months average expenditure in the general revenue reserve for 2019-20. This equates to £45,500 (rounded).
- Proposed: Pat Athawes
- Seconded: Richard Williams
- Resolved: Unanimously
2. That £3k is put into a new ear-marked reserve for the Oxfordshire Playing Fields Association (OPFA) work on the new sports pitches.
- Proposed: Pat Athawes
- Seconded: Richard Williams
- Resolved: Unanimously
3. £10k is put into the ear-marked reserve for the new pavilion that the Council has already agreed is established.
- Proposed: Pat Athawes
- Seconded: Richard Williams
- Resolved: Unanimously
NB Although the sum of the above totals slightly more that the money that will be made available from the reduction in the current revenue reserve, the cemetery has received more income than originally anticipated and so there is sufficient money available to fund these reserves.
30) Ear Marked Reserve for the Oxfordshire Playing Fields Association (OPFA) Work on the new Sports Pitches:
At minute 125/2018 (e) the Council resolved to engage OPFA for 12 months within an overall budget of £3k for help and advice relating to the sports facilities at Walnut Meadows. As it has not yet been possible to start this work for reasons beyond the control of Drayton PC or OPFA an ear marked reserve needs to be approved to ring fence this budget. The ear marked reserve was RECOMMENDED at minute 29 above.
31) Precept:
The Committee noted that the precept request has been submitted and acknowledged by Vale of White Horse District Council.
32) S137 Expenditure Level for 2019-20:
the Committee noted that the section 137 sum for 2019-20 is £8.12. The Council is routinely up for re-election in May 2019 and so should be able to resolve that it wishes to use the General Power of Competence at that point.
33) 2019-20 National Salary Award:
The Committee noted the National Salary Award that has been agreed and notified by NALC (previously circulated) and RECOMMENDS that the new rates be paid to staff from 01st April 2019.
- Proposed: Richard Williams
- Seconded: Pat Athawes
- Resolved: Unanimously
34) Personnel Matters:
The Committee RECOMMENDS that a 1 spine point pay increment for the Parish Clerk, as per her employment contract. This increment is due to be paid on 1st April 2019.
- Proposed: Matthew Lowy
- Seconded: Pat Athawes
- Resolved: Unanimously
35) Payment of the April Salaries:
The salaries of the Council staff are usually paid on the day after the monthly Parish Council meeting, held on the first Monday of the month. As the new Council will not meet until Monday 13th May it should be noted that the April staff salaries need to be paid as soon as possible after the conclusion of the May Parish Council meeting.
36) End of Year Alpha Training:
The Clerk has not previously undertaken the End of Year Process using the Alpha accounting package and so the Committee RESOLVED that she attend a half day training course on the morning of 14th March at the offices of Rialtus in Wiltshire at a cost of £90 plus VAT and mileage.
- Proposed: Pat Athawes
- Seconded: Matthew Lowy
- Resolved: Unanimously
37) Annual Leave Yet to be Taken:
The Clerk has not had a holiday since starting work for Drayton PC and so has significant amounts of annual leave yet to take (63 hours). As the end of year and local elections approach it will not be possible for her to take her full entitlement and so alternative arrangements need to be agreed. The Cllrs on the Finance and Personnel Committee will review the Clerks contract to confirm how much annual leave can be carried forward and how much needs to be paid. This will be confirmed and taken as an agenda item at the March Council meeting.
RECOMMENDATION: that the Council agrees to pay the Parish Clerk any hours that she will be owed at 31st March which her employee contract does not allow her to carry forward.
- Proposed: Richard Williams
- Seconded: Pat Athawes
- Resolved: Unanimously
38) Projects Support:
The Committee discussed the need to recruitment additional projects support after the local elections. The Clerk will confirm with VWHDC whether S106 money can be used to fund a suitably qualified professional expert to deliver the major projects.
39) Any Other Business discussed by the Finance Committee:
1. The Finance Committee noted that the Internal Auditor had completed his work and that there were no matters arising which required attention.
2. RECOMMENDATION that the ear marked Projects Reserve should be renamed to be called the “Drayton Projects Implementation Committee ear marked reserve” as the former Clerk has confirmed that this is the purpose for which it was established.
40) The date of the next meeting.
The next Finance and Personnel Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday 23rd April 2019 at 7.00pm, in the Caudwell Day Centre.
The meeting concluded at 9.50pm
Signed: Pat Athawes (Chairperson, Finance and Personnel Committee)
Date: 23rd April 2019
Appendix A
Drayton Parish Council Financial Situation
2018-19 Overview Document
£
Bank
Acct Ending
Note 1 – Overstated general reserve B/F so recommend transferring £15k immediately into the new ear-marked Pavilion reserve
Note 2 – The Drayton Community Trust also holds a £60k donation towards Drayton Projects
L Watling 20/01/19
Appendix B
Drayton PC Average Spend Per Month
Monthly spend Jan 2018 – Dec 2018
Jan – 2960.24
Feb – 3313.18
Mar – 2801.70
April – 3785.05
May – 3256.60
June – 8426.10
July – 3462.96
Aug – 4086.05
Sept – 3261.85
Oct – 3404.67
Nov – 3558.27
Dec – 7288.55
Total – 49605.22
Average per month = £4133.77
Parish Councils should retain at least 3 months average expenditure in a general reserve. The maximum considered acceptable is 12 months
Recommendation that the general reserve is between 9 and 11 months (rounded) – £37,250.00 – £45,500.00