0856

COLWALL PARISH COUNCIL

 

Minutes of the meeting of the FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE held in the Jean Simon Room at Colwall Village Hall on Wednesday 14th December 2011 at 7.30pm

 

Present: Chairman – J Mills, Mrs N Carless, Mrs E Haynes, Mrs G Rees and Councillors J Andrews, M Milne and the Clerk.

 

1.                  Apologies for Absence.

Apologies were accepted for Councillor Beard.

 

2.                  Declarations of Interest

 

The Chairman reminded those present of the need to declare any items of personal or prejudicial interest.

 

3.                  Minutes of the last meeting

 

The minutes of the meeting held on 20th April 2011 will be approved and signed by the Chairman at the next meeting in January 2012.

 

4.                  2011/12 Budget

 

Copies of the draft budget had been circulated to all Councillors prior to the meeting.

The Chairman highlighted that this is essentially a balanced budget with nothing extra-ordinary.

The final payment for the village hall loan has been made in 2011 and all other items are in line with expenditure in the current year allowing for inflationary rises. The Clerks annual review has been undertaken and the budget includes for the contractual increase in the salary by one spinal point.

 

It is was noted that the Parish Council is disappointed that Herefordshire Council have failed to advise the parish of any planned cuts in grants for the forthcoming year; this meeting was postponed by one month to allow time for such advice however, no communication has been received. The Parish currently receives grants from Herefordshire Council for the P3 Footpaths scheme of £1,700 pa and £2,250 pa for the Lengthsman scheme. The budget, as presented, assumes that the Parish Council will continue to receive the same level of grants from Herefordshire Council for both the Lengthsman scheme and Footpaths Scheme (P3) in 2012/12. Should Herefordshire Council subsequently decide to cut these grants due to budgetary pressures, it was agreed the Parish Council can fund these costs from unallocated reserves for 12 months should the need arise and review the situation again this time next year when the 2013/14 budget is set.

It was also discussed, that at the out-turn meeting, the Chairman may recommend transferring some additional funds from the unallocated reserves to Parish Projects on the basis of the Queens Diamond Jubiliee celebrations in 2012, the Localism Bill and its potential impact on the Parish Council, the potential for a Neighbourhood Plan and the Quality Parish Council Status.

0857

Main Budget: IT WAS AGREED to accept the proposed budget, for which there would be a 2% increase in the precept.

The total precept in the 12/13 year will be £56,873 (the precept in the year 11/12 was £55,758).

The budget will be recommended to Full Council for approval at next week’s meeting.

 

5.                  Annual Internal Review

No changes to The Council’s Internal Control Procedures and Risk Assessments financial processes had been recommended by the internal auditor.

 

6.                  Correspondence

 

i)          Precept: The Council’s Precept had to be decided by 31st January 2012 and the appropriate form completed.  The Chairman of this committee would bring this to

Council’s attention at next week’s full Council meeting, and after the formally approval of the precept the Chairman will sign the form.

 

ii)         Review donation requests: There are no new requests for donations. All donations were paid in November 2011 as per the previously approved 2011/12 budget.

 

7.                  Date of Next Meeting

 

The next scheduled meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee would be held on Wednesday 18th April 2012 with a short meeting called on the 25th January 2012 for the approval and signing of these minutes.

 

The meeting closed at 8.10 pm.

 

 

 

 

 

Chairman....................................................                                         Date....................