MINUTES of the Meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee held at 8.00pm on Thursday 12 September 2019 in the Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint.  

Committee Members Present 

Also Present:  Paul Mayne – Assistant Clerk 

F19/034 Apologies for absence and declarations of interest: Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Allan Brown, Stephen Hand 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.      

F19/035 Minutes of the meeting of Finance & General Purposes Committee of 8 August 2019: An additional sentence was added before the last sentence under item F19/031.3 Reeds Lane Play Area – To take the matter forward the design and delivery must be clearly defined. The minutes were then approved and signed by the Chairman. 

F19/036 Matters arising from minutes of the Finance & General Purposes Committee of 8 August 2019:  There are no matters not otherwise covered on this agenda.   

F19/037 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.   

F19/038 FINANCIAL MATTERS:  

F19/038.1 Payments and receipts: The Committee was asked to RESOLVE to approve:  

1. (1) Revised payments of £18,514.00 for month 5 (August 2019) (Ref: Schedule August 2019) 
2. (2) Payments of £41,502.97 for month 6 (September 2019) (Ref: Schedule September 2019) 
3. (3) to NOTE total receipts of £12,517.79 for month 5 (August 2019) (Ref: Schedule August 2019) RESOLVED: The Committee approves  
   1. (1) Revised payments of £18,514.00 for month 5 (August 2019)  
   2. (2) Payments of £41,502.97 for month 6 (September 2019) 

The committee noted that the payment approval cycle could lead to extended timescales for the payment of invoices and which could adversely affect some SME suppliers. 

RECOMMENDATION: The committee requested the process for approving payments against fixed price contract invoices, and those established term contracts delivering fixed outputs at a previously approved cost, be reviewed to establish whether the timescales for making payments to at least the SME suppliers could be reduced. 

F19/038.2 Financial monitoring: The committee was asked to note the accounts records for Month 5 (August 2019), in accordance with the Financial Regulations of the council, as follows:  

(1)  Bank reconciliation and Trial Balance  

F19/038.3 Deposits and investment: The committee noted that the council was holding the following funds on the dates shown:   

F19/038.4  Bank Charges: The committee noted that Unity Bank are now charging for paying cash and cheques.  RECOMMENDATION: The committee requested that the office keeps an eye on these charges over the coming months, so that they can be reviewed in due course and if it is considered appropriate, look for possible other banks for the main banking who do not charge for these items. 

F19/039 CONTRACTS:  The committee noted the following contracts with a cost over £500 + VAT:  

F19/039.1 J Lee Trees have quoted a price of £1,800. 00 (Ex VAT) to fell in sections and remove 2 willow trees in South Avenue Cemetery that had been ultra-sound tested and found to be severely damaged and required felling. F19/039.2  Bennett Christmas Insurance Brokers annual insurance renewal of van from 26 September 2019 through Highway Van Insurance (part of LV) at £559.64. RESOLVED: The Committee approved these contracts. 

F19/040 Projects:  

F19/040.1 Action List 2019/20:The committee was asked to note the action list for the council year 2018/19. (Ref: action list 2019/20 rev 34 20 June 2019 attached) This was considered by the committee. 

RECOMMENDATION to Council: The two documents (Parish Action Plan 2016-21 and Action List 2018/19 rev 34) be merged and that each Committee reviews progress at each meeting and record items for which they have delegated ownership, reporting back to the Finance & General Purposes Committee on behalf of the Council.  

F19/040.2 Bus shelter, Sayers Common:Thecommittee is asked to note that WSCC did not receive any objections for the proposed new bus shelter and the licence application is being completed by the Parish .With S106 monies of £10,000 earmarked for this by MSDC,  it is suggested that the Surrey bus shelter with side windows of 15mm thick toughened glass from Littlethorpe of Leicester Ltd could be purchased and delivered at a quote of £8,545.00 (Ex VAT). We would then start the process of obtaining quotes for installation of the wooden bus shelter. 

RESOLVED: The committee decided that the Newstead bus shelterwith toughened glass should be purchased and delivered from Littlethorpe of Leicester Ltd, which would leave around £3,000 left from S106 monies for its installation together with a litter bin also to be purchased and installed  

F19/040.3 Reeds Lane Play Area: The Committee noted that a response had been received from ROSPA regarding the additional equipment wanted to be installed by the working committee and this is to be reviewed in more detail. Sovereign Play who have been chosen for the main children play area are being approached to see if they can supply and install any of these additional pieces of equipment. 

F19/041 Operations:The committee was asked to note (exception reports only): 

F19/041 1 Street lighting: (No report) 

F19/041.2 Toilets: (No report) 

F19/041.3 Trees: (No report) 

F19/041.4 Cemetery: (No report) 

F19/041.4(1) Cemetery Wall. The committee is asked to review the background and options in the briefing and then decide on the best way forward. (Ref: Briefing Note 22 Aug 2019) 

RECOMMENDATION: The quotation of 3 October 2018 is refreshed with the contractor and that the contract be awarded to them subject to identifying the funds to support the revised quote. 

F19/041.5 Waste bins: (No report) 

F19/041.6 Buildings: (No report) 

F19/041.7 Allotments:  TheCommittee noted that the annual renewal of allotment rents are going out later this month, set at £4.40 per rod. 

F19/041.8 Village Garden: (No report).   

F19/041.9 Highways: (No report)  

F19/041.10 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.  

F19/042. Land and property:   

F19/042.1 Chantry Stables lease extension: Nothing further to report from solicitors regarding the lease extension. 

F19/042.2 Defibrillators: Further investigations at exploring possible charitable funding sources has identified that this is only possible with an unlocked cabinet and this is considered not feasible at Court Bushes Community Hub. (REF: 

Briefing Note 20 Aug 2019 attached) 

RESOLVED: The committee agreed that an unlocked cabinet was not feasible at Court Bushes Community Hub and that alternative funding is investigated such as WSCC County Local Committee and if nothing forthcoming then review in January 2020 to see if funds are available within the Council 2019/20 budget, if not then to place in the 2020/21 budget. 

F19/042.3 South Avenue Recreation Ground: The Parish Office have received several reports from residents that formal sport is taking place on South Avenue Recreation Ground during Saturday mornings, in the form of young children’s football training sessions. The organization were approached last season with a license application form, but no such application has been forthcoming, and the training sessions continue. The Committee are asked to discuss this use of the recreation ground and decide on whether the Committee would agree to the sessions continuing, with the Parish Office issuing a license, or if they would like to put the organization on notice that we do not permit such use. RECOMMENDATION: The committee requested that a licence be issued to the organization concerned to sign specifying a number of details-including – the user, the timings, the day and the area for the continuing using the recreation ground and that this should be subject to periodic review. 

There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.33 p.m. 

Chairman