Present: Cllr. Mrs. F M Butt (Chairman)

Public Session: There were no questions or comments.

1. Minutes of a meeting of the Finance Committee held on 5th January 2004

These minutes, which had been previously circulated were taken as read, agreed a true record and signed by the Chairman. There were no matters arising.

2. The receive the Accounts Summary, Cash Flow Statement and Bank Reconciliation for 30^th June 2004

Various questions were asked of the RFO and most answers satisfactorily given. The Chairman asked the RFO for a breakdown of the miscellaneous income. He said that most of the sum came from B&NES in the form of the grant for footpath clearance, the rest from various sources like sales of the PDS, lost allotment key and £28 from the Chapel for an insert in the June Newsletter. Chairman thought that it had been decided at a previous meeting that inserts should not be taken. She suggested that an official Council policy should be sought and asked that the subject should be placed on the next full Council agenda. A majority agreed.

3. Audit 2003/2004

Chairman asked the committee to consider various processes, which had to be agreed in order to present the Annual Return to Council. Copies of the Internal Auditor and RFO sections had been previously circulated and the Chairman asked if the Committee was ready to endorse the sections. Members agreed that: -

a). To note that the date of Audit is 16^th August 2004 and that the public notice of that fact was posted in all three Notice Boards on 1st July thus giving the statutory period required for the public inspection of documents at the parish office.

b). Section 1 of the Annual Return prepared by the RFO is endorsed.

c). Section 4 of the Annual Return prepared by the Internal Auditor is endorsed.

d). All questions in Section 2 of the Annual Return can be answered in the affirmative and therefore recommend that it should be endorsed by Council and signed by the Chairman of Council and Clerk at the Council meeting to be held on 26^th July 2003.

e). The suggestion from the External Auditor in his report last year that this Council should review its level of Fidelity Insurance cover was discussed again and this Committee considers the risk involved is easily covered by the £16,000 cover already in place.

f). To review Risk Management policies. The Internal Auditor reported on a suggestion, emanating from his recent training at ALCA, that for a Clerk who does more than 20 hours per week, part-time help should be considered for the Parish Office to cover any absence of the Clerk due to prolonged illness or holiday periods. The Risk Management Policy agreed of 22^nd July 2002 was reviewed and members agreed that the Clerk' absence was not properly covered by the present policy. It was further agreed that the Personnel Committee should look more closely at the risks involved and consider (or otherwise) an appointment, with costing, and refer back to this Committee for funding.

g). It is recommended that Council should appoint Mr. Peter Provest as Internal Auditor for the year 2005/2006 with many thanks for his sterling work done again this year.

4. Grant Application 2004/2005

Chairman reminded members that the Council has put £1500 into this head and asked if they were now ready to consider the applications, which had been copied and previously circulated to members. The Grants allocation had been advertised in the June Newsletter and in "The Journal" and this Committee has delegated powers to award.

It was eventually agreed that grants should be allocated as below: -

Under LGA 1972 s 137 as amended by LG and Housing Act 1989, s 28.

1^st Peasedown Scout Group for the purchase of a Field Fridge………..…..….£236

Peasedown St John Explorer Scout Unit towards "start up" costs…………….£200

Under Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 s.19.

Seeds Toddler Group for purchase of play equipment…………………………£120

1^st Peasedown St John Guides and 2^nd P St John Brownies for craft materials...£130

Peasedown Opportunity Project for stair gate………………………………….£100

Peasedown St John Cricket Club for junior equipment……………………...…£200

Sums were also set aside for FAST and WISH awaiting further specific evidence from applicants.

5. Asset Register and Insurance

The Asset Register had been previously circulated and members agreed that the Clerk should ask for a quotation from Cornhill to cover the extra equipment bought during the year.

Meeting closed at 10 p.m.