MINUTES of the Meeting of the FINANCE, GOVERNANCE & ESTATES COMMITTEE held at 7.30pm on Thursday 25 May 2023 in the Village Centre Conference Room.

Also present: Sarah Groom, Clerk to the Council and Responsible Finance Officer and one member of the public.

F23/24.001: Apologies for absence:  There were no apologies for absence.

F23/24.002: Declarations of interest: There were no declarations of interest.

F23/24.003: Election of Vice-Chair of the Committee:  The Committee received one nomination for the Vice-Chair for the ensuing year, proposed by Cllr Majsai and seconded by Cllr Llewellyn, and with all Members in favour, Cllr Rodney Jackson was duly elected Vice-Chair of the Committee, and it was:

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

F23/24.004: Previous Minutes: The minutes of the i) the Estates & Facilities Management Committee meeting on 13 April 2023 and ii) 20 April 2023 Finance & Governance Committee meeting were received and accepted by the Committee and signed by the Chair, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED the minutes of:

1. the Estates & Facilities Management Committee meeting on 13 April 2023; and
2. the Finance & Governance Committee meeting on 20 April 2023.

F23/24.005 Adjournment for questions from the public: There was one member of the public present who did not wish to speak. 

F23/24.006 Parish Council Financial Monitoring for Month 1 (April 2023): The Committee noted:

• Payments of £26,053.98 (EX VAT).  This included April salaries.
• Receipts of £168,851.91 (VAT N/A). This included the first half year precept of £151,819.
• Bank Reconciliations.  It was agreed to aim to keep approx. £75,000 in the Unity Current account so the rest could be transferred to the Unity Savings Account.  The bank reconciliations were signed by Cllr Jackson.
• Balance Sheet.  
• Nominal Ledger.
• Income and Expenditure.  A description of the repair of the Orchard Way street light was requested.  It was discussed whether to move the elections budget to the General Reserve.  The General Reserve will also be affected by the costs of the Court Bushes Tarmacking, Court Bushes Sinking Fund, Flint Wall Repairs in St George’s Lane and the additional salary costs, therefore consideration of the General Reserve will be revisited. The Recreation Ground Repairs included the annual maintenance for Children’s sculpture and the new electrical box, both on the Village Garden.
• The funds held in CCLA shares on 30 April 2023 of £100,293.84.
• The deposits and investments accounts on 30 April 2023 were as follows:

• The Committee agreed to consider the Cambridge & Counties 1 Year Fixed Term Bond that expires on 22 June 2023 at the 15 June 2023 Committee meeting, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED:

1. the Parish Council financial monitoring for Month 1 (April 2023);
2. to aim to keep approx. £75,000 in the Unity Current account so the rest could be transferred to the Unity Savings Account;
3. to add the maturing Cambridge & Counties Account to the June Committee agenda; and
4. to revisit consideration of the General Reserve at a future Committee meeting.

F23/24.007 Village Centre Financial Monitoring for Month 1 (April 2023): The Committee noted:

• Payments of £11,624.93 (VAT N/A). This included the lighting upgrades and main hall decoration.
• Receipts of £3,823.90 (VAT N/A). 
• Bank Reconciliations.  These were signed by Cllr Jackson.
• Balance Sheet.
• Income and Expenditure.
• Deposits and investments accounts held on 30 April 2023:

• Following the Trustees decision on 23 March 2023, to transfer the £65,000 balance from the Shawbrook Bank 60 Day Notice Account into the CAF Gold Account (via the CAF Cash Account) the letter giving notice on the account was sent on 31 March 2023, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED the Village Centre financial monitoring for Month 1 (April 2023).

F23/24.008: Parish Action Plan:  The Committee reviewed the:

1. the Estates & Facilities Action Plan:

The Committee requested updates on item 2 (Hurst Meadows) plans for 2023, including the new gates and noticeboards. Item 5, the Court Bushes tarmacking action was undertaken in April 2023 and should move to the completed items.  The Court Bushes item 6, container storage can be updated when the MSDC Planning Committee date is known.  The Court Bushes door closers can be added to item 7. 

1. the Finance & Governance Action Plan:

The Committee noted the review of the Village Centre charity was ongoing and the need to confirm the financial implications of Rates and VAT on any decision.  A record of councillor training will be kept in the office and councillors will be asked to forward confirmation/copies of certificates when the training is completed.  Following the Council meeting on 18 May 2023, actions arising to be included on the Action Plan are for the Staff Panel to review the employment policies and for the Freedom of Information Policy charges to be reviewed, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED the Action Plans for 2023/2024, as amended.

F23/24.009: Supply of Water and Sewerage Services:  The Committee reviewed the offers received for the supply of water and sewerage services from Castle Water and Business Stream.  Due to the lack of comparable quotes provided, the Committee agreed to transfer all water accounts to ADSM to achieve a competitive rate (as they had been successful under the MSDC tender process) and establish meaningful data for comparison in the future, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED to move all the accounts to ADSM to achieve a competitive rate and establish meaningful data for comparison in the future, at the earliest opportunity.

F23/24.010: To note any further information items, correspondence received or requests.

F23/24.010.1: Estates & Facilities Update Report The Committee noted the Estates & Facilities Manager’s update report. The Village Centre boilers had been serviced and there were no issues raised.  Street Furniture Section 106 funds are to be explored for the new bollards for the War Memorial.

Members RESOLVED 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:

F23/24.011: Bank Mandates:  The Committee noted the revised bank mandates following the recent elections.

There being no other business, the Chair closed the meeting at 9.12pm.

Chairman