2020-10-19 – Finance and Personnel Committee Meeting Minutes

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Table of contents

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

held on Monday 19th October 2020 remotely, at 7pm.

Present:

  1. Pat Athawes (Chairman)
  2. Shane McAleavey
  3. Graham Webb
  4. Tamsin Crane (from 19:10)
  5. Richard Wade

Not Present:

  1. Claire Woollard

Also in attendance:

  1. Lorraine Watling (Clerk/RFO)
  2. Chris Price (Deputy Clerk)

Public:

None

11/20 Apologies for absence:

None

12/20 (a) Declarations of Interest:

None

12/20 (b) Dispensations received by the Clerk:

None

13/20 The Minutes of the Meeting of 20th April 2020:

were Approved as a true record.
Proposed: Cllr Athawes Seconded: Cllr Webb Resolved (unanimous by those in attendance)

14/20 Budget Review 2020-21 (6 months):

Cllr Crane joined the meeting at 19.10.

The Committee received and considered a report from the Responsible Financial Officer for recommendations to be made to council for budget re-allocations following the review of income and expenditure for the period 01 April 2020 – 30 September 2020. The following amendment to the draft budget review was agreed:

Rights of Way – After reviewing anticipated spend between now and the end of the financial year this budget was increased to £2,400.00

The Finance and Personnel Committee Resolved (unanimously) to make a Recommendation to Council that the budget review be approved and the Clerk/RFO authorised to update the figures in the Alpha accounts package.

(Clerks note: a new line was subsequently inserted into the budget review prior to it’s circulation to full council to reflect the £1,548.00 spend on bus shelter maintenance approved by Council on 5th October 2020).

15/20 Audits:

(a) Internal Auditor: The Finance and Personnel Committee:
  1. Noted that the current internal auditor had been very ill earlier this year. He has not confirmed his availability to undertake Drayton’s Internal Audit for 2020-21.
  2. Considered the quotes received from two other internal auditors who already worked for other local Councils within Oxfordshire
  3. Recommended to Council that IAC Audit & Consultancy Ltd (IAC) be appointed as the Internal Auditor for Drayton Parish Council for 2020-21 at a maximum cost of £365 plus VAT, which allows for an on-site visit if this is practicable under the current pandemic.
Proposed: Cllr Athawes Seconded: Cllr Wade Resolved (unanimous)
(b) External Auditor:

It was noted that Moore had yet to complete the external audit for 2019-2020, but that the audit deadlines had been extended this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

16/20 Annual Review of the Asset Register:

It was confirmed that the 2020-21 annual review of the asset register will be undertaken by Chairman and Deputy Clerk.

Actions:
  1. The chairman of the PC will agree a date on which to undertake the annual review of the asset register.
  2. The amended document to be approved by full Council in December 2020.

17/20 Risk Assessments:

The Drayton Risk Assessment policy document was reviewed and it was agreed to add ‘managing and maintaining the pond at Sutton Wick’ under section 2.2.

(Clerks note – the name of the company listed against Internal Audit in the table at section 3.2 will need amending following the November 2020 meeting of Full Council.)

Actions:
  1. The amended document to be approved by full Council in December 2020.
  2. The individual risk assessment sheets that have been produced for the PC will be sent to the Chairman of the Parish Council.

18/20 Any Other Business:

Actions:
  1. The Chairman noted that she had asked all Cllrs for suggestions of projects that would benefit from a £3k contribution. These will be sent to County Cllr Webber for consideration as he currently has funds available that could be used in Drayton.
  2. The Deputy Clerk needs a new Drayton PC laptop.
    Actions:
    (i) The Chairman and Deputy Clerk will obtain quotations for laptops for the council to consider.
    (ii) The Clerk will ask Microshade to quote for the Deputy Clerks work to be saved in a similar way to that of the Clerk. They will also be asked for potential solutions that would enable Cllrs to search their emails more easily.
  3. The Chairman noted the need for the Clerk to have an updated mobile phone that would work from her home (which has poor mobile network coverage). It was agreed that this could be on a SIM only deal and might be a second hand refurbished phone. It would be on a monthly contract with whichever mobile network provider works best in her area.
    Action: The Clerk will do some research and report back at the November Finance & Personnel Committee meeting with a view to bringing this to full council for approval in December 2020.
  4. The Chairman asked the solicitors who are representing the Parish Council during the transfer of land from Millers to provide details of their costs to date. These have not yet been received.
    Action: The Clerk will email the solicitors and request this information.
  5. The need for the installation of fencing or some other form of barrier at Walnut Meadows was discussed. The installation of black country style post and rail fencing was considered to be a possibility worth investigating The Clerk suggested that a budget provision should be made for this in 20-21 as there have been several recent instances of travellers trespassing in Drayton.

The date of the next meeting.

The next Finance and Personnel Committee will be on Monday 16th November 2020.

The meeting concluded at 8.26pm

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

Date: 16th November 2020