MINUTES of the Meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee held at 8.00pm on Thursday 8 August 2019 in the Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint.  

Committee Members Present 

Also Present:  Andy Beams – Clerk to the Council 

F19/025 Apologies for absence and declarations of interest: Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs John Lowman, Duncan Ranger and Julia Shorrocks. Cllr Seth Jee declared an interest in the agenda item concerning Reeds Lane Play Area as a member of the Sayers Common Village Society.      

F19/026 Minutes of the meeting of Finance & General Purposes Committee of 11 July 2019: The minutes were approved and signed by the Chairman. 

F19/027 Matters arising from minutes of the Finance & General Purposes Committee of 11 July 2019:  There are no matters not otherwise covered on this agenda.   

F19/028 Adjournment for questions from the public: There being no members of the public present the committee was not required to adjourn the meeting in accordance with Clause 1(d) of Standing Orders.   

F19/029 FINANCIAL MATTERS:  

F19/029.1 Payments and receipts: The Committee was asked to RESOLVE to approve:  

1. (1) Revised payments of £19,766.45 for month 4 (July 2019) (Ref: Schedule July 2019) 
2. (2) Payments of £17,933.46 for month 5 (August 2019) (Ref: Schedule August 2019) 
3. (3) to NOTE total receipts of £9,297.02 for Month 4 (July 2019) (Ref: Schedule July 2019) RESOLVED: The Committee approves  
   1. (1) Revised payments of £19,766.45 for month 4 (July 2019)  
   2. (2) Payments of £17,933.46 for month 5 (August 2019) 

F19/029.2 Financial monitoring: The committee was asked to note the accounts records for Month 4 (July 2019), in accordance with the Financial Regulations of the council, as follows:  

(1)  Bank reconciliation and Trial Balance  

F19/029.3 Deposits and investment: The committee noted that the council was holding the following funds on the dates shown:   

F19/030 CONTRACTS:  The committee noted the following contracts with a cost over £500 + VAT: None. 

F19/031 PROJECTS:  

F19/031.1 Action List 2019/20: As agreed at the July meeting, the committee noted the action list would next be reviewed in September. It was requested that the Parish Plan list is reconciled against the action list for the September meeting. 

F19/031.2 Bus Shelter, Sayers Common: Thecommittee was asked to note that WSCC did not receive any objections for the proposed new bus shelter and have issued a licence application for the Parish to complete. We are now in the process of obtaining quotes for supply and installation of a wooden bus shelter to include side windows and the committee anticipate reviewing these at the September meeting. 

F19/031.3 Reeds Lane Play Area: Thecommittee was asked to consider and approve the RECOMMENDATIONS arising from the Reeds Lane Play Area Working Group at its meeting 25 June 2019. The proposed scheme from Sovereign has a cost of £12,201 plus VAT. The 2019/20 Budget has £5,000 available for this project, and it was intended that a further amount up to £15,000 would be funded from s.106 sources. However, further investigation has shown that no s.106 funds are currently available for play equipment in the Parish and the next ‘release’ is likely to be from the Kingsland Laines development in Sayers Common. Council is therefore asked to agree to fund the difference in cost (£8,201 – which includes a further £1,000 for picnic seats/tables) from elsewhere in the budget, to enable this scheme to proceed. (REF: Minutes of the Reeds Lane Play Area Working Group 25 June 2019 and briefing note 25 July 2019) A member, having been present at the working group meeting, stated they disagreed with the minutes of the working group and the recommendation contained within them. The committee agreed that without a confirmed requirement, there was no further action which could be taken at this point. It was also emphasised that while the offer of assistance with works from the Sayers Common Village Society was appreciated, the Council had a duty to ensure any works were conducted by qualified, insured professionals and would subsequently pass any RoSPA inspection, and that use of public funds was fully transparent. 

The working group were asked to prepare an agreed fully costed prioritised solution for review by the committee. 

F19/032 OPERATIONS: The committee noted (exception reports only): 

F19/032.1 Street lighting: (No report) 

F19/032.2 Toilets: (No report) 

F19/032.3 Trees: A willow tree in the Cemetery had been ultra-sound tested and found to be severely damaged and required felling.   

F19/032.4 Cemetery:   

(1)  Cemetery Wall: (No report – a thorough review of the background and options for this matter will be an agenda item for September to enable the committee to consider the best way forward). 

F19/032.5 Waste bins: (No report) 

F19/032.6 Buildings: The refurbishment of the Village Garden bus shelter has now been completed. 

F19/032.7 Allotments: (No report) 

F19/032.8 Village Garden: The summer floral planting has taken place. A small dead tree has been identified and is to be removed. 

F19/032.9 Highways: (No report)  

F19/032.10 Public enquiries: The Committee was advised that the Parish Office maintains a Customer log of all public enquiries and which is available for inspection by Members.  

F19/033 LAND AND PROPERTY:   

F19/033.1 Chantry Stables lease extension: Further to the decision of council (16 May 2019 Minutes C19/011.2) the Parish Office has instructed solicitors Mayo Wynne Baxter to draw up the lease extension. (REF: HP&SCPC email 16 July 2019). 

F19/033.2 Defibrillators: Further to the recommendation of the Court Bushes Committee, the committee is asked to consider sources of funding for defibrillators at Court Bushes and the Village Centre. (REF: Minutes of the Court Bushes 

Committee 30 July 2019 and briefing Note 19 Jul 2019 attached) 

RESOLVED: The Committee approves in principle the purchase of defibrillators for both sites, and requested the office staff explore possible charitable funding sources and provide a report to the next meeting with a costed proposal. 

There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.50 p.m. 

Chairman