Minutes Town Council Policy and Resources Committee - Monday 31 January 2011
Minutes Town Council Policy and Resources Committee - Monday 31 January 2011
Wednesday, 06 April 2011 11:43
Minutes of the Okehampton Town Council Policy and Resources Committee Meeting held on Monday 31 January 2011 in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Okehampton at 7.55 pm
Council Members Present:
Councillor Mrs M McDonald (Chair)
Councillor A Raymond (Vice Chair)
Councillor M Davies
Councillor P Vachon
Councillor M Morse (Town Mayor)
Councillor Mrs K Bickley (Chair, Planning)
Councillor A Leech (Chair, Property)
Councillor Mrs C Marsh (Acting Chair, Parks)
Other Members Present: Councillor Dr M Ireland
In Attendance: D Bent (Town Clerk)
L Svensson (Ockment Community Centre)
Declarations of Interest:
The following Members declared an interest on agenda items identified.
Councillor P Vachon agenda item 9 (i) Grant Aid - Okehampton Community Archive
Councillor M Ireland agenda item 9 (i) Grant Aid - Okehampton Community Archive
Councillor Mrs C Marsh agenda item 9 (i) Grant Aid - Okehampton Community Archive,
9 (5) Meldon Viaduct Trust
Councillor A Leech agenda item 5 Ockment Community Centre.
468. Apologies for Absence - There were no apologies for absence.
469. Deferment of Business (for comment by the public) - There were no members of the public present.
470. Members’ Questions - There were no questions from Members regarding the workings of the Committee.
471. Minutes - The minutes of the Policy and Resources Committee meeting held on 20 December 2010 were approved and signed by the Chairman on the proposition of Councillor A Leech, seconded by Councillor P Vachon.
472. Ockment Community Centre - Mrs L Svensson (Manager) attended the meeting and explained the role of the centre in Okehampton. She said it had been a quiet twelve months with corporate business use of the premises reduced, but the community side was now becoming busy with local groups hiring the premises. She acknowledged the benefits of the Jobcentre and CAB using the premises and other ongoing semi-tenancy arrangements. She explained income at approximately £7,000 a month, expenditure at £9,000, grants received, staff numbers and use of resources as an ongoing cash flow exercise. She explained available capacity, permutations of use with lunches and commented on a fluid customer base with the Ockment Centre as a preferred venue for some operations.
Members acknowledged use of the Centre’s reserves, reducing deficit and potential increased use following the possible closure of Wiseman and Polestar. The Committee were appreciative of the role carried out by the Centre, acknowledged support by the County Council and on the proposition of Councillor Raymond, seconded by Councillor Davies, it was resolved this Council continue to support the Centre financially with a commitment for a further three years at a level of £5,000 grant per year. Mrs Svensson was thanked for attending the meeting and information offered.
It was further proposed by Councillor Mrs Bickley, seconded by Councillor Leech, and resolved a letter be forwarded to the Jobcentre inviting them to allocate more time in the Ockment Centre to offer a wider range of services for youngsters and unemployed in Okehampton.
473. Matters Arising -
473.1 Okehampton Community Event - The Clerk invited the working party to meet to identify equipment required for the next community event due to be held on 3 July 2011; agreed a meeting be held on 14 February 2011 at 6.30 pm with the following Members attending: Councillors Mrs McDonald, Raymond, Vachon.
473.2 Finances - The Clerk offered an explanation on the following questions.
a) Outstanding debts list to be submitted at the February meeting showing any debts at 31 January 2011.
b) Unpresented cheque £600 Twisted Tree - it was agreed to pay this sum back into the Council’s accounts.
c) Unpresented cheque £60 LCAS seminar - the Clerk explained that neither he nor D Whitfield was able to attend this seminar on risk assessment; the cheque had not been banked and he would cancel it.
d) Debtors £9,303 - the Clerk explained this was payment due from the Borough Council relating to car parking fees for Simmons Park which was outstanding for a few days and subsequently settled.
473.3 Audit Report Fidelity Guarantee - The Clerk said the District Auditor had recommended Council’s fidelity guarantee cover be increased to £338,000. The current level was £250,000 for a premium of £365 and the recommended level - the premium would increase to £474.60. On the proposal of Councillor Mrs Marsh, seconded by Councillor Raymond, resolved accordingly.
474. Finances - The Clerk reported due to illness and absence by Mrs A White the financial report of the Council’s position as at 31 December 2010 would be delayed until the February meeting. He reported cheques had been despatched and cash received banked, but data input onto the system had been delayed; noted.
475. Town Council Investments - The Clerk submitted a statement of cash reserves which identified the Council’s financial position as at December 2010. He explained that approximately £270,000 was held in the reserve account earning 0.5% and he had investigated alternative investments including independent financial advices through the money market and stock market and the banks. The financial advisers informed of risk in the current climate which was deemed inappropriate for local authority funds.
The Clerk explained it would be prudent to invest £100,000 of the reserves for one year whilst maintaining a healthy working cash reserve and presented interest rates as below.
HSBC 12 months bond - 0.55%
Lloyds TSB 12 months investment - 1.50%
Barclays 12 months investment - 0.15%
NatWest general fixed rate bond - 2%
NatWest enhanced fixed rate bond - 2.35% (conditions of no withdrawal or early termination with this bond before the end of term).
The Chair advised Council had to be fair to the public and should work money in a safe investment and on the proposition of Councillor Davies, seconded by Councillor Vachon, it was resolved £100,000 be invested in enhanced fixed rate bonds at an interest rate of 2.35% for 12 months.
The Clerk advised he would compile a policy document for this Council’s investments and submit it to the next meeting.
476. Grant Aid - Applications for financial assistance were presented from the following organisations and, prior to consideration, the Chair advised the sum of £2,958 remained in the account for the current financial year. She commented the application for Meldon Viaduct Trust had been delayed due to late arrival.
(i) Get Changed Theatre Company - Members examined this application and wished to assess the benefit to Okehampton residents in accord with the lawful interpretation of the Act. On the proposition of the Chair it was resolved further information be sought from this group on benefit to Okehampton residents.
(ii) Okehampton Community Archive - This application sought assistance with the purchase of a laptop, printer, scanner, copier and storage device. The group were offered the use of the Council’s projector and laptop, advised of funding received from outside organisations with a wish to produce a comprehensive digital archive. It was also noted the group had premises to collect and store archives. On the proposition of Councillor Davies, seconded by Councillor Leech, it was resolved a grant of £350 be awarded.
(iii) West Devon Pre-Olympic Games Training Camp - This application was for funding towards the researches for the suitability of Okehampton as a training camp for these games. Members questioned the benefit for Okehampton which were not clearly identified in the application and were reminded an application seven months ago had been declined. On the proposition of Councillor Mrs Bickley, seconded by Councillor Vachon, it was resolved this application be declined.
(iv) West Devon Citizens Advice Bureau - An application was submitted explaining the work of the Bureau and the benefits to Okehampton with a request that a grant be paid and used towards the rent of the Bureau at the Ockment Centre. On the proposition of Councillor Mrs Bickley, seconded by Councillor Leech, it was resolved a grant of £1,500 be awarded to the Citizens Advice Bureau.
The application from Meldon Viaduct Trust to be deferred to the next meeting.
477. WDBC Annual Mayoral Awards - The Chair presented an invitation for Members to nominate persons to receive this award. She explained the qualifications and invited Members to submit names to the Clerk to be received by the Borough Mayor by 25 February 2011.
478. SLCC Plymouth Regional Conference - Members were invited to attend this conference with the Clerk on 9 February 2011. The Clerk reported he was unable to attend and it was agreed no-one attend.
479. Members’ Reports -
(i) WDBC/Okehampton Consultative Liaison Group - The minutes of the meeting held on 6 December 2010 were circulated and noted. The Chairman also invited topics for discussion at the next group meeting due 7 March 2011. The following topics were offered: localism, town development, community referendums plus topics previously identified including traffic management, on-street pay and display, dog fouling plus CCTV.
(ii) DALC - The contents of the newsletter were noted.
(iii) Okehampton College - Councillor Leech referred to proposals relating to federation which were to be discussed at the next Planning meeting.
(iv) Room 13 - Councillor Mrs Marsh referred to a Holocaust Day promoted by the youngsters supported by the Senior Council (NB Members were asked to note concerns over diminishing resources for this service).
(v) Dartmoor Railway - Councillor Ireland reported communication from E Ellis and appreciation to the DRSA for their support and community service with no reference to future operations.
PART TWO
ITEMS WHICH MAY BE TAKEN IN THE ABSENCE OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC ON THE GROUND THAT EXEMPT INFORMATION MAY BE DISCLOSED (if any).
The Committee is recommended to pass the following resolution:-
“On the proposition of Councillor A Leech, seconded by Councillor A Raymond, it was resolved that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the Meeting for the undermentioned item of business on the grounds that exempt information may be disclosed as defined in the paragraph given below from Part I of Schedule 12(A) to the Act”
Paragraph 1 - Information relating to employees of the authority.
480. Minutes
481. Staff Structure
482. Two Year Public Sector Pay Freeze
It was resolved to come out of part 2, move back into part 1 and ratify all decisions taken in part 2, proposed by Councillor A Leech, seconded by Councillor P Vachon.
Meeting closed 9.48 pm.
_________________________
Councillor Mrs M McDonald
Chairman