MINUTES of the Meeting of the FINANCE, GOVERNANCE & ESTATES COMMITTEE held at 7.30pm on Thursday 20 June 2024 at the Hurstpierpoint Village Centre.

Also present: Sarah Groom, Clerk to the Council & Responsible Finance Officer and Stephen Witchell, Estates & Facilities Manager. 

F24/25.001: Election of the Chair of the Committee:  The Committee received one nomination for the Chair for the ensuing year, proposed by Cllr Llewellyn and seconded by Cllr Majsai, and with all Members in favour, Cllr Duncan Ranger was duly elected Chair of the Committee, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee ELECTS Cllr Duncan Ranger as the Chair of the Committee for the ensuing year.

F24/25.002: Election of the Vice-Chair of the Committee: The Committee received one nomination for the Vice-Chair for the ensuing year, proposed by Cllr Shorrocks and seconded by Cllr Majsai, and with all Members in favour, Cllr Annette Street was duly elected Vice-Chair of the Committee, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee ELECTS Cllr Annette Street as the Vice-Chair of the Committee for the ensuing year.

F24/25.003: Apologies for absence:  Apologies for absence were received from Cllr David Evans, Cllr Barry Forster, Cllr Mark Froud and Cllr Rodney Jackson, and it was:

RESOLVED: That the Committee ACCEPTS the apologies for absence from Cllr Evans, Cllr Forster, Cllr Froud and Cllr Jackson.

F24/25.004: Declarations of interest: There were no declarations of interest.

F24/25.005: Previous Minutes: The Committee considered the minutes of the Finance, Governance & Estates Committee meeting on 16 May 2024, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED the minutes of the Finance, Governance & Estates Committee meeting held on 16 May 2024.

F24/25.006: Adjournment for questions from the public: There were no members of the public present.

• F24/25.007: Parish Council Financial Monitoring for Month 2 (May 2024): The Committee noted:
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• Payments of £117,641.45 (EX VAT).  This included a transfer of £100,000 to the Unity Trust Savings Account. The payments did not include May 2024 salaries.  The SSE invoice for Court Bushes Electricity for April 2024 will be reviewed.
• Receipts of £6,740.06 (VAT N/A). 
• Bank Reconciliations.  These would be signed by Vice-Chair Cllr Street.
• Balance Sheet.  
• Income and Expenditure.  
• Nominal Ledger.
• The funds held in CCLA shares on 31 May 2024 of £106,924.86.  Cllr Street enquired whether there were any specific plans for the funds invested with the CLLA.  It was noted they act as emergency funds, should they be required at the end of the financial year.
• The deposits and investments accounts on 31 May 2024 were noted.  It was agreed to explore the option and interest rates available from the fully FSCS protected NS&I funds.
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• (viii)    The Committee considered the renewal offer from Cambridge & Counties Bank for the 1 Year Fixed Term Bond due to mature on 24 June 2024 and agreed to reinvest the £50,000 in their 1 Year Fixed Term Bond Issue 74 at 5.10% Gross/AER.
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• (iv)      The Committee noted the Mulberry & Co issued Financial Services Compensation Scheme Guidance and the current expenditure budget of the Parish Council of £420,336.  Due to the Parish Council budget being so close to the cut off for protection of 500,00 euros, it was agreed to ask Mulberry & Co for advice on at what point does the protection apply from, or does the protection fluctuate daily depending on the value of the Euro, and it was:
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• RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED the Parish Council financial monitoring for Month 2 (May 2024) and to reinvest £50,000 in the Cambridge & Counties Bank 1 Year Fixed Term Bond Issue 74 at 5.10% Gross/AER.

F24/25.008: Village Centre Financial Monitoring for Month 2 (May 2024): The Committee noted:

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• Payments of £1,471.62 (VAT N/A). 
• Receipts of £3,238.00 (VAT N/A).  
• Bank Reconciliations.  These would be signed by Vice-Chair Cllr Street.
• Balance Sheet.
• Income and Expenditure.
• Bank accounts held were i) CAF Cash Current Account and ii) CAF Gold Savings Account.  Maturity dates do not apply, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED the Village Centre financial monitoring for Month 2 (May 2024).

F24/25.009:  Parish Action Plan:  The Committee reviewed the:

1. the Finance & Governance Action Plan:  The Committee requested an update on the councillor training programme and agreed to add the monitoring of the value of the euro in relation to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme protection.
2. the Estates & Facilities Action Plan:The Committee noted that the storage container for Court Bushes car park was expected to be delivered on 10 July 2024 and the electrical hook-up will be installed on 2 July 2024.  The bin audit outcomes have been finalised but confirmation of Section 106 are awaited from MSDC, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED the updated Action Plans for 2024/2025.

F24/25.010: Estates & Facilities Update: The Committeereceived the update report and congratulated the Estates & Facilities Manager on the content and the amount of good work being delivered.  It was noted that tree roots are showing through the new WSCC cycleway at Manor Road and that WSCC are still working on the permanent route of the cycleway through Highfield Drive avoiding Randiddles Corner, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee NOTED the update report on Estates & Facilities Management.

F24/25.011: Van Lease Renewal:  The Committee considered a briefing note on the renewal of the works van lease, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED to renew the existing lease for the unleaded Ford Transit Connect for 1 or 2 years (whichever offered the lower monthly cost).

F24/25.012: Tree Surveys:  The Committee considered a briefing note on the tree risk assessments for the recreation sites in 2024, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED the appointment of PJC Consultancy to carry out the tree risk assessments for 2024 for the recreation sites at a cost of £890+VAT.

F24/25.013: Hurst Meadows Autumn Cuts: The Committee considered a briefing note on the Hurst Meadows cutting programme for Autumn 2024, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED the appointment of Greenscene Landscapes to carry out the Hurst Meadows cut and collect and grass maintenance for 2024 at a cost of £7,050+VAT.

F24/25.014: Watering Programme: The Committee considered a briefing note on the Summer 2024 watering programme for Hurst Meadows and the Recreation Grounds, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED the appointment of Greenscene Landscapes to carry out the watering for various sites for 2024 when instructed by the office, up to a total cost of £1,010+VAT.

F24/25.015: Filming in Hurst Meadows:  The Committee noted the parking arrangements made for filming in Hurst Meadows.

F24/25.016: To note any further information items, correspondence received or requests.

F24/25.016.1:  Lost Woods Event: Cllr Majsai advised the Committee that the Lost Woods project were planning to hold a community event on 16 August 2024 at Tilley’s Copse/Fairfield Recreation Ground.

The Committee RESOLVED that in view of the confidential nature of the following items, the press and public be excluded under section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960.

Confidential Matters:

F24/25.017: Court Bushes Community Hub:  The Committee considered the revised hire fee for the use of Court Bushes Community Hub by Kiddie Capers Childcare, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED the revised hire charges for the Kiddie Capers Nursery from 1 August 2024, including exclusive use of the Club Lounge and a corresponding fee.

F24/25.018: Public Toilets Caretaking Service:  The Committee considered future arrangements for the cleaning and key holding of the public toilets, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED the temporary three month arrangements for locking, unlocking, cleaning and stocking of the public toilets.

• There being no other business, the Chair closed the meeting at 10.01pm.                                                               Chair