PEASEDOWN ST JOHN PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of a meeting of the Finance Committee held on Monday 19th September 2005 at 7 p.m. in the Cricket Clubhouse
Present: Cllr. Mrs. F M Butt (Chairman) and Cllr. J W Goring (Vice-chairman)
Cllrs. Mrs. M A Button, Mrs. M Kennedy and J P Rich.
Cllrs. R W G Butt (SO43), C Rich, Mrs. K M Thomas and two members of the public.
Public Session
There were no questions or comments.
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.
The Clerk confirmed that he had received thank you letters and covering receipts from all but one of the grant recipients. Noted with satisfaction.
This document had been previously circulated and was accepted.
Chairman asked to introduce this item as a matter of urgency due to the Clerk's retirement in November and the extra expense this will entail with the office move and advertising for a suitable replacement. She has asked the Clerk to pay only the monies required to service the wages commitment and contracts that had already been agreed.
She asked for her action to be endorsed by this committee in accordance with Financial Regulation 1.2. All agreed.
The Chairman also asked that, to fund the retirement of the Clerk and the moving of the office, she would like the endorsement of this committee for a virement to the Policy and General Purposes Committee of £2,000 from the "Quality Council Application" and "Contingency" heads. All agreed.
A decision has to be made two weeks prior to 16th November on whether this Council wishes to re-invest this money for another fixed period. It was agreed that the Clerk arranges for the monies to stay in the account for another year.
A revised grant application has been received from the Scout Group for more tables and chairs for their dining tent to the value of £200. It was eventually agreed that this grant be awarded. The Football Club has asked for monies to help fund their recent refurbishment from vandalism. It was pointed out that usually the Council likes to fund specific projects or parts of projects. It was agreed that £200 be set aside and awarded when the FC could specify a part of the refurbishment.
It was also agreed that the Clerk writes to both organisations with a holding letter explaining that the money would be available when the office move and appointment of the new Clerk has been resolved.
The Chairman reported that the Clerk has said that he is unable to put his mind to the writing of the October Newsletter due to his personal unease. The Chairman had consulted other Chairmen and it was accepted that it should be cancelled. All agreed. Clerk to inform the Scout Group and the printer.
In the short term Cllr. Mrs. Kennedy has volunteered to take over the editorship of the December Issue and Cllr. Mrs. Thomas agreed to assist.
Longer-term ideas will have to wait until after Christmas.
Following on from the last meeting on the 4th July, further ideas were exchanged and eventually it was agreed that this Committee should ask the two spending committees to make sure that alternative ways of doing things were looked at when setting their budgets. Perhaps changing contractors or even doing some jobs in house should always be considered and costed.
The lighting between New Buildings and Carlingcott has been knocked out due to a vehicle colliding with a pole. The job has been costed and can be afforded from existing lighting funds but, due to the statement made by the Chairman of the Finance Committee at last week's meeting, the Amenities Committee wishes to have the spending endorsed by this committee.
It was recommended that Council freeze the project at this time due to the rationing of funds and also to question the need for lighting along this lane - as the Clerk pointed out, it is unlikely that this lighting would even be debated if put forward now. Members asked "was the lighting really necessary".
Meeting closed at 7.50 p.m.