Dear Councillor,

Committee Members are summoned to attend the Meeting of the Finance, Governance & Estates Committee to be held on Thursday 17 September 2026 at 7.30pm at Hurstpierpoint Village Centre.  Members of the public have a right to and are invited to attend the meeting.

Sarah Groom, Clerk to the Council & Responsible Finance Officer                                  Friday 11 September 2026

Committee Membership: Cllr Duncan Ranger (Chair), Cllr Shaun Hole, Cllr Rodney Jackson, Cllr Malcolm Llewellyn, Cllr Claire Majsai, Cllr Julia Shorrocks and Cllr Annette Street (Vice-Chair).

AGENDA

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

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

3. Minutes of the previous meeting of the Finance, Governance & Estates Committee: To receive and adopt the minutes of the 13 August 2026 Finance, Governance & Estates 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.        Parish Council Financial Monitoring for Month 5 (August 2026): To note:

5.1      Payments of £36,290.55 Ex VAT).  Payments include July 2026 salaries of £15,374.56 (see note 5.9 below) and £6,500 for the 50% payment for the Village Centre Velux Windows.

5.2      Receipts of £41,000.70 (VAT N/A).  Receipts include £32,151.35 from Section 106 for the Reeds Lane Play Equipment project.

5.3      Bank Reconciliations.

5.4      Balance Sheet.  

5.5      Nominal Ledger.

5.6      Income and Expenditure. 

5.7      The funds held in CCLA shares (AAA Rating) on 31 August 2026 are £117,938.60.

5.8      Deposits and investment accounts held on 31 August 2026 are as follows: 

5.9      Employee Pay Award 2026/7: The Committee is asked to note that the National Joint Council for Local Government Services agreed the 2026/7 pay award for employees on 24^th August 2026, which is a one-off 3.3% pay increase on salaries.  These increases will be applied to the September 2026 salaries and backdated to 1 April 2026.

5.10    Employer Pension Contributions: The Committee is asked to note that the planned reduction in Employer Pension Contributions from 1 April 2026 from (18.5% to 15%) has only just been applied to the July 2026 salaries invoice by WSCC, and backdated to April 2026.  Therefore July’s Pensions Contributions have dropped from a total cost of £2,302.29 down to £683.13, but will correct themselves from September 2026 onwards.

6.        Village Centre Financial Monitoring for Month 5 (August 2026): To note:

6.1         Payments of £8,187.98 (VAT N/A). This includes £2,380.14 for the drainage works.

6.2         Receipts of £5,233.20 (VAT N/A). This includes a £5,000 transfer from the savings account to top up the current account balance.

6.3         Bank Reconciliations.

6.4         Balance Sheet.

6.5         Income and Expenditure.

6.6         Bank accounts held are i) CAF Cash Current Account with 0.2% interest; and ii) CAF Gold Savings Account with 1.55% interest.  Maturity dates do not apply.

7.        Parish Action Plans:  To review the Committee Action Plans for 2026/27.

8.        Hurst Meadows Working Group: To note the minutes of the Hurst Meadows Working Group on 3 September 2026.

9.        South Avenue Cemetery Drainage improvements:  To consider a briefing note setting out proposals to install a French drain on the southern boundary of the South Avenue Cemetery.

10.      Parish Council Signage: To consider a briefing note proposing draft signage for all the Parish Council owned sites.

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

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.