MINUTES OF STOW ON THE WOLD TOWN COUNCIL’S FINANCE, GENERAL PURPOSE & POLICY COMMITTEE HELD ON THURSDAY 9TH MARCH 2017 AT THE YOUTH CLUB CENTRE, FOSSEWAY, STOW ON THE WOLD, GLOUCESTERSHIRE GL54 1DW AT 7.00 PM

PRESENT: Councillors: M Moseley(Chairman), A White, B EddollsJ DaviesMrs H Sipthorp, Clerk of the Council

Public Participation: None as no members of the public were present.

  1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Cllr M Curtis
  1. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ITEMS ON THE AGENDA:Cllr White declared an interest in Item 10 (ii) as he is a trustee of Stow Youth Club.
  1. MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 13TH OCTOBER 2016

Members present differed from those at the last meeting and therefore the meeting was inquorate to approve the minutes. The minutes had been circulated and as no comments receivedit was agreed the Chairman should sign them as a true and accurate record. RECORD OF VOTING – All in favour. Motion carried.

  1. CLERK’S REPORT AND MATTERS ARISING FROM ABOVE MINUTES

Bank mandate is all up to date and Cllr Moseley is now a signature on the account. Cllr Curtis has also been confirmed as a signatory too.

BT credit had been received.

With reference to External Auditor’s comments on Annual Governance and Accounting Statements had been clarified in that they must each have their own item number on the agenda and should not appear under one item number with sub divisions of that.

The ice cream seller in the Square pays a license fee to CDC of £850 per annum.

Clerk requested to readdress the possibility of the council taking over a blanket consent for the area.

Selling of Lordship of the Manor title only. Clerk apologised because she had not been able to do any further research on this matter. All agreed this was not urgent.

  1. CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chairman welcomed Cllr J Davies as a new member of the committee.

  1. TO APPROVE THE FEBRUARY 2017 STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS AND BANK RECONCILIATION TO 28TH FEBRUARY 2017

RESOLVED – Proposed Cllr Moseley, seconded by Cllr White that the committee recommend the figures presented for approval to council at their March 2017 meeting. RECORD OF VOTING – All in favour. Motion carried.

  1. TO REVIEW CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR EXPENDITURE IN RELATION TO BUDGET (AS AT END OF FEBRUARY 2017) AND TO DECIDE WHETHER ANY MONIES OUTSTANDING SHOULD BE EARMARKED IN END OF YEAR ACCOUNTS OR VIRED TO ANOTHER BUDGET

Clerk presented figures of anticipated income and expenditure before the end of the financial year. All agreed no further action is required at present.

  1. CONTRACT WITH BT BUSINESS INFINITY UNLIMITED IS COMING TO AN END DO MEMBERS WISH TO RENEW THE CONTRACT AND IF SO TO APPROVE THE REVISED COSTS

The council’s contract ends on 4th April 2017. The cost to renew with the BT Business Infinity Unlimited for 24 months would be £35 per month. Cllr White asked the Clerk to obtain a couple more estimates from other providers for comparison.

  1. TO APPROVE RATE INCREASE FOR STOW TIMES FROM THE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 EDITION

The cost of the advertisement in Stow Times has increased with the January/February 2017 issue from £240 to £287.50. This is attributed to increased paper and ink costs largely due to sterling falling against the Euro. The total cost for 11 advertisements will now be £3162.50. RESOLVED – Proposed Cllr White, seconded Cllr Eddolls that this should be placed on the agenda for the March council meeting with a view to giving 6 months’ notice to cancel this advertisement with the proviso that perhaps the council could spend the money on producing a town newsletter. RECORD OF VOTING – All in favour. Motion carried.

  1. GRANT APPLICATIONS

i)Application from Christmas Tree Festival organisers for a grant of £500

RESOLVED - Proposed Cllr Eddolls, seconded Cllr J Davies that the committee recommend that the council should approve the grant at their March 2017 meeting. RECORD OF VOTING – All in favour. Motion carried.

ii)Application from Centre 67 – Stow Youth Club for £5000 towards the running of the club

RESOLVED – Proposed Cllr Moseley, seconded Cllr Eddolls that the committee recommend that the council should approve the grant at their March 2017 meeting. RECORD OF VOTING – 3 in favour, 1 abstention. Motion carried.

  1. DATE OF INDEPENDENT INTERNAL AUDIT

Clerk to arrange a date as soon as possible after the year end has been completed on 15th May 2017.

  1. TRANSFER OF EQUIPMENT PROTECTION INSURANCE FOR OLIVETTI PHOTOCOPIER IN OFFICE FROM GRENKE TO COUNCIL’S ZURICH INSURANCE POLICY

The council has been paying c£90 + VAT per annum to insure the copier via the leasing company. Clerk had spoken to Zurich and they have put this onto council’s policy at no extra charge.

  1. REGISTRATION OF COUNCIL WITH INFORMATION COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE IN RELATION TO DATA CONTROL

The Clerk had noted that the council had not been registered since 2012 so the registration had lapsed. She had rectified this and the council is again registered and would be renewed on an annual basis from hereon.

  1. ANY OTHER BUSINESS AND ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED AT THE NEXT MEETING

Clerk said that over the coming weeks she would be looking at updating the council’s Code of Conduct, Grant application form, Financial Regulations and also all the Committee Terms of Reference.

  1. TO DISCUSS OUTSTANDING HOLIDAY AND TIME OFF IN LIEU IN RELATION TO CLERK & DEPUTY CLERK (In Private Session)

The meeting went into private session. Clerk left the room whilst the discussion took place. Agreedthat a full and final payment of any outstanding holidays and untaken time off in lieu is approved (for Clerk & Deputy Clerk) for payment with the March salaries. Clerk returned to the meeting and was advised that the payments had been approved due to exceptional circumstances and on the grounds that this was a one off request.

  1. MEETING CLOSED: 8.20pm.
  1. NEXT MEETING: Tuesday 18th April 2017 at 7.00 pm. Post Meeting Note: This date has subsequently been cancelled and the new date is confirmed as Tuesday 11th April 2017 at 7.00 pm.

Signed: ______Chairman

Dated: ______

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