Dear Councillor,

Committee Members are summoned to attend the MEETING of the Finance & Governance Committee to be held on Thursday 17 September 2020 at 7.30pm via Microsoft Teams Video Conferencing. 

Members of the public have a right to and are invited to attend the virtual meeting using Microsoft Teams. If you wish to attend, please email the office@hurstpierpoint-pc.gov.uk before 4pm on Thursday 17 September 2020 to be sent an email or telephone invitation.

Sarah Groom, Clerk to the Council & Responsible Finance Officer                            Friday 11 September 2020

Committee Membership: Cllr Malcolm Llewellyn (Chair), Cllr Julia Shorrocks (Vice-Chair), Cllr Allan Brown, Cllr Stephen Hand, Cllr Rodney Jackson, Cllr Seth Jee, Cllr John Lowman, Cllr Duncan Ranger.

AGENDA

1. Apologies for absence:  To receive and accept apologies for absence.

• Declarations of interest: To note any declarations of interest. 

3.        Minutes of the previous meeting of Finance & Governance Committee: To receive and adopt the minutes of the 20 August 2020 Finance & Governance Committee meeting.

4.        Adjournment for questions from the public: To consider adjourning the meeting in accordance with Standing Orders, to receive questions from members of the public. 

5.        Payments and receipts: The committee is asked to:

5.1      Note payments of £20,967.60 (excl. VAT) for month 5 (August 2020).

5.2      Note receipts of £3,674.55 (no VAT) for month 5 (August 2020).

5.3      Extraordinary receipt requiring recommendation

6.        Financial monitoring: To note the account records for month 5 (August 2020) in accordance with the Financial Regulations of the Parish Council, as follows:

• Bank Reconciliations.  The bank statement is included for Cashbook 1, the Unity Trust current account as there has been activity.  The other cashbook balances have not changed.
  • Balance Sheet.
  • Detailed Income and Expenditure by Budget Heading.
  • Summary Income and Expenditure by Budget Heading.

7.        Deposits and investment: As of 31 August 2020, the Parish Council held the following balances. A further £46,361.16 is held with the CCLA in shares.

8.        Contracts and Leases: (No report)

9.        Parish Action Plan: (No report)

10.      Financial Risk and Insurance: (No report)

11.      Compliance with Financial Regulations:

11.1    To consider a briefing note outlining a revised process for managing allotment deposits to ensure proper financial procedures are followed.

11.2    To review the effectiveness of internal auditor for 2019/20 and confirm the appointment of Internal Auditor for 2020/21 for both the Parish Council and the Village Centre charity accounts.

12.      Future Budget: (No report)

13.      To note any further information items, correspondence received or requests. 

13.1 Staff Matters: National salary award update: To receive a verbal update on the pay award by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services (NJC) for 2020-2021 and note that agreement was finally reached on 21 August 2020.  The 2.75% pay increase on all scales will be backdated to 1 April 2020.  An estimate of a 2.5% increase was used to support the budget setting process for 2020/21. 

The council is asked to RESOLVE that in view of the confidential nature of the following item, the press and public be excluded under section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960.

Confidential Matters:

14. Locum Finance Officer: To receive a verbal report requesting an extension to the current Locum Finance Officer arrangements. 

Protocol for filming and recording at public meetings:  The Council has a protocol for public filming, recording and photography at its meetings, which is available on the Council’s website or on request at the Parish Office.