DRAFT
MINUTES OF KEYWORTH PARISH COUNCIL FINANCE & RISK MEETING
IN THE FEIGNIES ROOM ON MONDAY, 8 JUNE 2015 AT 7.00PM
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PRESENT:
Chairman: Cllr Grice.
Committee: Cllrs Chmara, Fitzgerald, Oakley, Pinder, Seller and Valentine.
ALSO PRESENT: Neil Grocock (Clerk).
16/7515 Apologies
q Apologies were received from Cllr Valentine (late arrival).
16/7516 Declarations of Interest
q There were no declarations of interest.
16/7517 Minutes
q The minutes of the meeting on 27.4.15 were APPROVED and signed by Cllr Grice as a true record.
16/7518 Matters Arising
q The following items had been included in the briefing notes for the meeting:
- (15/7498) Email from Rushcliffe Barn Owl Project (thanks for donation) - NOTED.
- (15/7500b) Copy of the Facilities Manager, Brian Cullen’s letter to Keyworth Tennis Club outlining the club’s responsibilities in respect of Legionella management - NOTED.
Cllr Pinder arrived at the meeting at this point.
16/7519 Audit
q The following items had been included in the briefing notes for the meeting:
- Copy of the statutory notice of audit.
- Copy of the annual return submitted to the external auditor.
- Copy of covering letter to the external auditor.
- Copy of explanations of significant variations submitted to the external auditor.
- Copy of Boxes 7/8 reconciliation submitted to the external auditor.
- NALC legal topic note re the Local Audit & Accountability Act 2014.
- Internal audit plan 2015/16.
- Audit seminar – Clerk’s certificate of attendance.
a) External Audit 2014/15
q The annual return and other items listed above were NOTED.
b) Appointment of Internal Auditor 2015/16
q AGREED that Roger Snowdin (Snowdin Accountancy Services Ltd) should be re-appointed as internal auditor for 2015/16.
c) Internal Audit Plan 2015/16
q The internal audit plan was APPROVED – see Appendix 1.
16/7520 Finance
q The following items had been included in the briefing notes for the meeting:
- Details of earmarked reserves as at 31.3.15 (Appendix A to 2014/15 Financial Statements), plus details submitted to external auditor.
- Details of new play equipment installed and old equipment disposed of during the renovation of Nottingham Road play area in April.
a) Review of Reserves
q Cllr Grice pointed out that:
- Reserves as at 31.3.15 had been reviewed at the last meeting, but it seemed reasonable to look at them again bearing in mind the changes in the committee following the election.
- Much of the Village Hall heating project reserve might ultimately be freed up for other purposes, depending on the response, still awaited, from HMRC regarding VAT.
- There was just over £4k in ‘surplus’ uncommitted reserves, i.e. uncommitted reserves in excess of the £90k stipulated by the reserves policy.
q After due consideration, it was AGREED that: £3k should be earmarked for the likely purchase of picnic tables for the Rectory field; £1k should be added to the Facilities committee reserve; a further quotation should be obtained for steel picnic tables. Cllr Seller suggested that Sue Calladine (Keyworth Show committee) should be consulted regarding the positioning of picnic tables.
b) Fixed Asset Disposals/Valuations
q Details of new equipment/disposals at Nottingham Road play area were NOTED and APPROVED; the asset register to be amended accordingly – see Appendix 2.
q The Clerk suggested that, if time allowed, it might be a useful exercise to carry out a complete revaluation of fixed assets, so that the items/values shown in the annual Financial Statements would be more easily identifiable.
c) Banking Arrangements
q AGREED that all members of the Finance & Risk committee should be signatories on the Council’s bank accounts, and that Cllrs Fitzgerald and Valentine should accordingly be added to the five current signatories (Annual Parish Council meeting minutes 18.5.15 [16/8473e] refer); any two to sign.
16/7521 Expenditure for Approval
q There was no expenditure for approval.
16/7522 Committees – Delegated Spending Powers
q Covered under 16/7520 above.
Cllr Valentine arrived at the meeting at this point.
16/7523 Renewal of Insurance Cover
q The following items had been included in the briefing notes for the meeting:
- Renewal schedule.
- Letter from insurers.
q After due consideration, it was AGREED that the five-year long term agreement offer outlined in the insurers’ letter should be accepted.
q Further to discussions at the previous meeting (15/7512), the Clerk confirmed that, in a long term agreement, it is the rates used to calculate the premium which are fixed, not the premium itself.
16/7524 Rectory Field/Elm Avenue Facilities
q The following items had been included in the briefing notes for the meeting:
- Revised draft of Parish Council/Keyworth Tennis Club lease.
- Email from Keyworth Bowls Club re May water charges; Facilities Manager’s breakdown of May bill.
a) Parish Council/Tennis Club Lease
q The revised draft lease was NOTED. Cllr Grice commented that nothing had been heard from the club thus far.
b) Management Issues
q Cllr Grice explained the situation regarding water charges in relation to the Bowls Club and, after due consideration, it was AGREED that the club should be invoiced for the amount calculated by Brian Cullen.
16/7525 Correspondence
q There were no correspondence items.
16/7526 Staff Matters
a) Staffing Sub-Committee - Membership
q AGREED that the sub-committee should henceforth comprise Cllrs Grice, Chmara, Fitzgerald and Seller.
b) Staffing Sub-Committee – Terms of Reference
q The terms of reference, included in the briefing notes for the meeting, were APPROVED without amendment.
c) Pensions – Automatic Enrolment
q A letter from the Pensions Regulator and the Essential Guide to Automatic Enrolment had been included in the briefing notes for the meeting.
q The Clerk reported as follows:
- Staging date: 1 August 2016.
- He had registered himself as point of contact.
- In the absence of any other obvious options, he would enrol the Council in the government’s National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) scheme.
d) Other Staffing Issues
q (15/7514 27.4.15 refers) A fixed-term contract of employment for Helen Bradshaw, included in the briefing notes for the meeting, was NOTED – see Appendix 3.
There being no further business, the chairman closed the meeting at 8.10pm approx.
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