Minutes of the Meeting of the Finance and Personnel Committee of Drayton Parish Council held on Monday 01st August 2022 remotely, at 6.30pm.
Present: Cllrs Pat Athawes (Chairman), Graham Webb and Sue Harris.
Also, in attendance: Lorraine Watling (Clerk/RFO).
Public: None
Minute No.
9/22
Apologies for absence: None.
10/22
(a) Declarations of Interest: None. (b) Dispensations received by the Clerk: None. (c) Use of Delegated Powers: None.
11/22
Membership: It was noted that Cllr Sue Harris had joined the Finance & Personnel (F&P) Committee to replace a Cllr who had resigned from the Parish Council.
12/22
The Minutes of the Meeting of 19th April 2022: The minutes from the meeting held on 19th April 2022 were Approved as a true record. Proposed: Cllr Webb Seconded: Cllr Athawes Resolved.
13/22
Audit: The 2021-22 AGAR had been submitted in the required timescales, and the Clerk had responded to a request for more information from the external auditor. The PC is now awaiting the formal response from the external auditor.
14/22
Payment Card for the PC: The F&P Committee discussed whether the PC should apply for a Corporate Multipay card for Drayton Parish Council and if so, what rules should be associated with it. These cards attract a monthly service charge of £3.00. The F& P Committee recommends to council that it apply for a Corporate Multipay card, with an expenditure limit of £750 for any one item, and an expenditure limit of £2000 expenditure in any one month, for the sole use of the Clerk/RFO. Actions:The Clerk will: update and circulate to Cllrs the Rules of Use that were drafted in 2018 when this matter was initially discussed by council request the application form from Unity Trust Bank. It was also noted that the bank mandates need to be updated, so the Clerk will obtain the forms from the bank.
15/22
Projects Finances: The F&P Committee reviewed and noted a paper by the Clerk/RFO that clarified the sources of finance available for projects, and the expenditure process. The F & P Committee noted the clarification paper and recommends it to council.
Reserved Business: Exclusion of the Public and Press. In view of the nature of the business to be transacted any members of the public and press to be temporarily excluded from the meeting (Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 s.1).
16/22
Burial Ground Covenant: The council has authorised Cllrs Crane, Wade and the Parish Clerk to work with solicitors to try to bring this matter to a resolution. The F&P Committee noted that the delegation needed to be amended due to Cllr Cranes resignation, and recommends to council that Cllr Harris be authorised to work with Cllr Wade and the Clerk to try to bring this matter to a resolution.
17/22
Staff Matters: The F&P Committee discussed the progress in undertaking the staff annual appraisals. The F& P committee recommends that the Programme Managers contract of employment is extended for a further year subject to an amendment, to make it consistent with other staff contracts, that clarifies that the line manager for this post is the Clerk to the council.
18/22
Any Other Business: None
The date of the next meeting. The next meeting of the F&P Committee will be held in the Cauldwell Centre at 6.30pm on Tuesday 6th September 2022.
The meeting concluded at 8.30pm
Signed: Pat Athawes (Chairman, Finance and Personnel Committee)