MINUTES of the Meeting of the Finance & Governance Committee held at 8.00pm on Thursday 7 November 2019 in the Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint.  

Committee Members Present 

Also Present:  Paul Mayne – Assistant Clerk  

  Andy Beams – Clerk to the Council 

F19/051 Apologies for absence and declarations of interest: Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Stephen Hand and Julia Shorrocks.  

F19/052 Minutes of the meeting of Finance & General Purposes Committee of 10 October 2019: The minutes were received and accepted and signed by the Chairman. 

F19/053 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.   

F19/054 FINANCIAL MATTERS:  

F19/054.1 Payments and receipts: The Committee was asked to RESOLVE to approve:  

1. (1) Revised payments of £28,636.44 for month 7 (October 2019) (Ref: Schedule October 2019) 
2. (2) Payments of £22,069.24 for month 8 (November 2019) (Ref: Schedule November 2019) 
3. (3) to NOTE total receipts of £17,824.84 for month 7 (October 2019) (Ref: Schedule September 2019) RESOLVED: The Committee approves  
   1. (1) Revised payments of £28,636.44 for month 7 (October 2019)  
   2. (2) Payments of £22,069.24 for month 8 (November 2019) 

F19/054.2 Financial monitoring: The committee noted the accounts records for Month 7 (October 2019), in accordance with the Financial Regulations of the council, as follows:  

(1)  Bank reconciliation and Trial Balance  

F19/054.3 Deposits and investment: The committee noted that the council was holding the following funds on the dates shown:   

The Committee advised that: 

1. (1) For the future will need to investigate having the interest paid back to the main current account  instead of being added to the deposit to ensure that the funds remain at the FSCS compensation level; which at present is £85,000. 
2. (2) With further S106 monies from the Little Park development due soon, will need to identify other bank deposits for these funds to be placed 
3. (3) The way payments are approved for payment will be changed from Jan 2020 . 

F19/055. Contracts and Leases:  

5.1 Parish Council Reimbursement: It was discussed at Estates & Facilities Management Committee 29^th October 2019 that when the Parish Council first took on the bookings for the Village Centre in November 2016, the Trust were be invoiced for £2,704 per year to cover 2.5 hours of staff time at £20.80 per hour. This amount was increased to £5,408 per year in May 2017, following a 6-month review. The amount charged has stayed the same for 2.5 years and following the handover of the Centre in April 2019, the Village Centre now takes up a considerable amount more Staff resource above the 5 hours, with a conservative estimate being around 12-15 hours per week. The recommendation from Estates & Facilities Management Committee under minute FM19.5.7 was: 

“RECOMMENDATION: The Committee recommends that Finance and Governance Committee increases the amount charged to the Hurstpierpoint Village Centre Charity to £16,224 per annum, to cover Parish Council Staff resources used in direct connection with the Village Centre.” 

The Committee noted that the 2019/.20 Council Budget had been set and approved based upon the amounts to be charged to the Hurstpierpoint Village Centre Charity being £9,360 per annum. This had been worked out at staff time of 9 hours per week (3 hours bookings time, 3 hours Management time and 3 hours Maintenance time) at £20.00 per hour. In reviewing the Council Budget and the submission from the Estates & Facilities Management Committee, it was agreed to make the following recommendation to Council and to be implemented this Financial Year. 

RECOMMENDATION: The Committee recommends that the amount charged to the Hurstpierpoint Village 

Centre Charity be increased to £11,897.60 per annum, to cover Parish Council Staff resources used in direct connection with the Village Centre and this is taken to Council to agree to this. The figure has been worked out at staff time at £20.80 per hour over 11 hours per week (5 hours bookings time, 3 hours Management time and 3 hours Maintenance time). 

5.2 Operation Watershed: The Committee noted that the grant application requesting Operation Watershed Funds to address drainage and surfacing issues in St. Georges Lane (Latchett Lane) has been submitted to WSCC. 

5.3 Christmas Tree: The committee is asked to note that further to Minute F19/048.5 (10 October 2019) an artificial double cone tree with LED lights around the flag pole on the Village Garden will cost £2,110.00 (Ex VAT) and with putting a small  picket fence around this will cost around another £80.00. The chairman and vice chairman of 

Community Engagement Committee agreed that as this was only about £130 more than what was paid last year for the Real Christmas Tree with lights, and our contractor was advised to go ahead with this. 

RESOLVED: The committee approved the contract for the artificial double cone tree with LED lights around the flag pole for £2,110.00 (Ex VAT) and the picket fence at a cost of around £80.00. At a later date, to review any feedback from residents through the Community Engagement Committee to look at the option of buying verses renting of this for the future. 

5.4 Chantry Stables lease extension:  The committee noted that we are still waiting for the signed lease back from solicitors 

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1. 6. Parish Action Plan: (No report). 

1. 7. Financial Risk and Insurance: (No report) 

1. 8. Compliance with Financial Regulations: (No report) 

1. 9. Future Budget: The Chairman advised the Committee that the next meeting would focus on reviewing and agreeing the first draft of the Council Budget 2020/21. That would include the Annual Review of Charges, the consolidated Parish Action Plan and the normal supporting briefing notes. To enable the development of the draft budget the other council committees had been requested to identify their budget needs for 2020/21 under their current respective Cost Centres. Further work will be put in place to look at recommending the rationalisation and restructuring of those Cost Centres in future to provide the management information that each Committee now requires via the supporting Book Keeping System that the Council uses. 

1. 10. Staff Matters: (No report) 

There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.58 pm  

Chairman