Finance and Strategy Committee – Tuesday 25 August 2026 at 6:30pm

Agenda and Draft Minutes

Present: Councillors Stephen Blogg, Nigel Bowler, Nicholas Coxon, Michael Devine, David Dobbie, Paul Hooton, Paul Key, Glenn Puxty, Richard Thompson (substitute)

In Attendance:
Rachel Allbones                  Town Clerk & Responsible Finance Officer

Venue: Meeting Room, Richmond House, Richmond Park, Morton Terrace, Gainsborough, DN21 2RJ

FS27/047  Apologies for Absence
To note apologies for absence.

Minutes:
Apologies were received from Councillor Craig.

FS27/048  Declarations of Interest
To receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011.

Minutes:
No declarations of interest were declared.

FS27/049  Dispensation Requests
To consider any dispensation requests received by the Town Clerk in relation to personal and/or disclosable pecuniary interests, not previously recorded.

Minutes:
No dispensation requests were received.

FS27/050  Items for Exclusion of Public and Press
To determine which items on the agenda, if any, require the exclusion of public and press under the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 1 (2) and resolve to exclude public and press for these items. 

Minutes:
No items for the exclusion of public and press were received.

FS27/051  Minutes of the Previous Meeting (Paper A pages 3 to 6)
To receive and resolve to sign as a true and accurate record the minutes of the Finance and Strategy Committee meeting held on Tuesday 28 July 2026.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Finance and Strategy Committee meeting held on Tuesday 28 July 2026 be approved as a true and accurate record and signed by the Chair.
Note: Councillors Hooton and Thompson abstained from voting on the above resolution.

FS27/052  Finance Reports
To receive and consider for approval the following financial reports:
i. Unpaid Expenditure Transactions for 20 August 2026 (Paper B pages 7 to 11)
ii. Cashbook Summary (including due and unpaid transactions) for 20 August 2026 (Paper C pages 12 to 13)
iii. Budget Comparison Report (including due and unpaid transactions) for 20 August 2026 (Paper D pages 14 to 32) 

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To receive, note and approve the following reports:
i. Unpaid Expenditure Transactions for 20 August 2026;
ii. Cashbook Summary (including due and unpaid transactions) for 20 August 2026;
iii. Budget Comparison Report (including due and unpaid transactions) for 20 August 2026.

FS27/053  Bank Reconciliation (Paper E pages 33 to 49)
To approve and resolve to sign the monthly bank reconciliations for 31 July 2026 per paragraph 2.2 of Financial Regulations.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: That the monthly bank reconciliations for 31 July 2026 be approved and signed, with the following closing balances:

• HSBC Current/Deposit Account: £535,998.50
• CCLA: £500,000.00

FS27/054  Investments (Paper F pages 50 to 52)
To consider temporarily increasing investment with CCLA.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL that the £164,791.44 S106 funding be temporarily invested in the CCLA Public Sector Deposit Fund until the Aisby Walk Skate Park invoice is received and payment is required.
To amend paragraph 10.5 of the Investment Strategy to reflect the temporary increase in the amount invested with CCLA.

FS27/055  Investment Strategy Review (Paper G pages 53 to 59)
To review and adopt updated Investment Strategy.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To adopt the reviewed and updated Investment Strategy.

FS27/056  Items for Notification
To receive any items for notification to be included on a future agenda (for information only)

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To NOTE the items for notification to be included on a future agendas:
i. Asset Transfer Update
ii. Community Grants – September
iii. Revised Budget – October
iv. Report on grants to the Council from external bodies – October
v. Draft 2027 / 2028 Budget & Estimate – November
vi. Newsletter
vii. Operation Bridges Review
viii. Civic Protocol
ix. Registrar Lease renewal
x. Unity Trust Bank
xi. Strategic Plan
xii. LCAS Silver Status submission

FS27/057  Time and Date of Next Meeting
To note the date and time of the next Finance and Strategy Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 22 September 2026 at 6:30pm.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To NOTE the date and time of the next Finance and Strategy Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday 22 September 2026 at 6:30pm at Richmond House, Morton Terrace.

The meeting closed at 7:10pm.