Management and Finance November 2019

22. Management and Finance - Wednesday 20 November 2019

Present:

Councillor Matt Boles – ex officio

Councillor Harry Clarke

Councillor David Dobbie

Councillor Chris Lambie

Councillor Lesley Rollings

Councillor Denise Schofield

Councillor Baptiste Velan

 

 

In Attendance:

 

Rachel Allbones                      Deputy Clerk / RFO

Sean Alcock                            Operations Manager

 

 

Also Present:                         Councillor Paul Key

 

 

 

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 

Councillor Richard Craig

 

 

2. TO RECEIVE MEMBERS’ DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCALISM ACT 2011 AND TO RECEIVE ANY APPLICATIONS FOR DISPENSATION

 

Councillor Velan declared a pecuniary interest in agenda item 8 as he had submitted a quotation.

 

 

3. MINUTES FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING (Paper A)

 

1. Minutes of the meeting of Management and Finance Committee held Wednesday 16 October 2019

 

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Management and Finance Committee meeting held on Wednesday 16 October 2019 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

 

Note: Councillors Boles, Clarke, Rollings and Schofield abstained from voting on the above resolution.

 

 

4. FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 2019

 

1. Unpaid Expenditure Transactions for 15 November 2019 (Paper B)

 

Members considered at length Paper B & Paper B Revised.

 

RESOLVED that Members accept the transactions in Paper B Revised – Unpaid Expenditure Transactions for 20 November 2019.

 

Note: Councillor Clarke abstained from voting on the above resolution.

 

 

1. Cashbook Summary (including due and unpaid transactions) for 15 November 2019 (Paper C)

 

Members considered Paper C.

 

RESOLVED that Members note Paper C – Cashbook Summary (including due and unpaid transactions) for 15 November 2019.

 

Note: Councillor Clarke abstained from voting on the above resolution.

 

 

iii.        Budget Comparison Report (including due and unpaid transactions) for 15 November 2019  (Paper D)

 

Members considered Paper D.

 

RESOLVED that Members note Paper D Budget Comparison Report (including due     and unpaid transactions) for 15 November 2019.

 

 

5. MONTHLY BANK RECONCILIATION SIGN OFF FOR OCTOBER (Paper E)

 

RESOLVED to accept and sign off the Bank Reconciliation for 31 October 2019.

 

 

6. COMPLAINTS (Paper F – not issued)

 

Members noted one complaint received on the day of the meeting regarding leaves on a grave following hedge trimming. The Operations Manager advised that he had visited the grave and was happy that all leaves had been cleared from the graves the day before.

 

The Operations Manager advised he had received x2 compliments regarding the condition of the Cemetery and compliments from allotment secretaries for ground work support.

 

 

7. ROLLING PROJECT YEAR PLAN (Paper G)

 

Note: Councillor Rollings left the meeting at 7.37pm

 

Members considered the 3 year rolling project plan in line with the Risk Management Strategy. Members NOTED it as a live document.

 

 

8. 2020 / 2021 DRAFT BUDGET (Paper H)

 

Members noted the draft budget prepared by the RFO taking into account Councils needs and Committee requests for 2020/21.

The RFO advised Members the current draft sat at a 18% increase.

 

Councillor Dobbie requested that no more than 2% was put on the precept.

 

RESOLVED for Members and the RFO to work on cuts from the current draft and bring back to the next meeting with no more than a 9% increase from 2019/20 precept.

 

9. 2020 / 2021 PRECEPT ESTIMATE (Paper I)

 

Members considered the precept estimate request for WLDC.

 

It was proposed and seconded to submit a precept estimate with a 2% increase.

 

It was proposed and seconded to submit a precept estimate with a 9% increase.

 

2% Increase    –           3 votes for, 3 votes against

9% increase    –           3 votes for, 3 abstain

 

With the Chairman’s casting vote it was RESOLVED that in light of the discussions over the draft budget the ‘estimate’ precept request to WLDC would be the 2019/20 precept plus 9%.

 

 

10. INTERNAL AUDIT REPORT (Paper J)

 

                        RESOLVED that Members noted the Internal Audit Report.

 

 

11. CEMETERY EXTENSION

 

Members NOTED the update received following completion of T2 Groundwater Risk Assessment, which identified the suitability of the ground is ok and no further action is needed. The report had been sent to Gary Reevell at WLDC and would be picked up by the new Clerk in the new year.

 

 

RESOLVED under Standing Order 10.a.vi to alter the order of business and take item 13 next.

 

12. PARISH AGREEMENT HIGHWAY VERGE CUTTING SCHEME 2020-21 (Paper L)

 

Members considered the request from LCC to join the Parish Agreement scheme for 2020-21.

 

RESOLVED to join the LCC Parish Agreement scheme for 2020-21 for Highway Verge Cutting. Quotations and frequency to be considered in due course.

 

Note: Councillor Clarke voted against the above resolution.

 

 

13. IT STRATEGY & GDPR COMPLIANCE (Paper K)

 

Note: Councillor Velan left the meeting at 8.32pm.

 

Members considered quotations received for new IT equipment and email accounts.

 

RESOLVED to ask the x4 companies to requote for the below.

23” – 24” Monitors                               x5

Wireless Keyboard & Mouse set        x4

Windows 10 Pro Desktop PC             x4

Laptop                                                 x2

Server or NAS linked to a cloud back up

Anti-virus (ESET?) / Firewall as needed

Office 365 set up for                           x23

 

 

The meeting concluded at 8.32pm