Whittington & Fisherwick
Parish Council
FINANCE / ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING.
Minutes of the Meeting. Commencing 7.30pm, Monday 14th November 2016.
Present: Cllrs. D. Walton, M. Bennett and C. Millar.
In Attendance: Mrs. J. Arm – Parish Clerk.
1. Apologies.
Cllr. Cannon had submitted his apologies in writing.
2. Declaration of Interests on Agenda Items and consideration of dispensations where appropriate.
No declarations were made.
3. Approval of the minutes of the meeting held on 1st August 2016.
It was proposed, seconded, and agreed to approve the minutes.
RESOLVED: To approve the minutes.
4. Matters arising from the Minutes.
Item 13.1– It was noted that the Council shed had now been removed from the Village Hall.
No further items arose that were not already covered on the agenda.
5. Current financial position and audit of current financial matters.
The accounts of the current financial year were noted.
RESOLVED: To approve the accounts presented to Council
6. Accounts for Payment.
The accounts for payment were noted.
7. Consideration of reserves available to use for prioritised Council projects.
It was agreed to move the cash reserves and earmarked funds so that Council’s prioritised projects could be
considered for funding.
The Committee agreed to provisionally consider the following budgets which had been highlighted by
Councillors as a high priority.
BMX track maintenance - £2,000.
Bit End Field Play Area refurbishment to provide for the Under 5 age group - £10,000.
Village Signage replacement/refurbishment/clear overgrown vegetation around the signs - £5,000.
Replacement hedging around Bit End Field and Noddington Lane Play area - £1,000.
Replacement fencing at various Council sites - £2,000.
It was noted that this amounted to £20,000.
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It was agreed to fund these projects by using current funds and also transferring the earmarked funds of
£10,000 for Council projects, currently in the Fair Account into the Recreational Areas fund. This would
currently still leave £17,000 in the Fair Account.
The remaining £10,000 would be funding by moving the redundant reserves of money in the gate piers grant
of £250 and the Youth Council budget of £994.50 into the Recreational Areas fund. This fund would then
currently have £14929.95 which could fund BMX track refurbishment (£2K) and Bit End Field Play area
refurbishment (£10K).
Additionally £5,000 would be taken from the Pavilion Fund (in lieu of the new pavilion roof costs and put
back into Capital Projects fund). Also £2000 would be earmarked from the 2017 – 2018 budget into this fund.
Capital Fund will then be £ 8,139.21. This could then fund the village signs (£5K), replacement hedging (£1k)
and fencing (£2K).
In addition £1,500 would be credited to the Contingencies – Tree Work Fund, from the 2017-18 budget.
It was noted that one of the other priorities identified was litter around the village. It was agreed that this
would be relatively cheap to organise with a group of volunteers to litter pick.
8. Consideration of any projects to be included in a three-year budget strategy.
It was agreed that projects identified in the prioritised Council projects, would be worked into the three-year
budget strategy.
9. Consideration of grant criteria and changing grant forms.
The Committee noted that the Council had agreed to make changes to the grant application process
and criteria. In the past, profits from the Fair had been used for donations to local groups. As the profit was
severely reduced this year due to inclement weather and as the Council was in the process
of prioritising village improvements, it had been agreed to inform applicants that spending a proportion of the
funds on Council led community village improvement projects to improve the village environment, would be
considered.
Whilst applications for grants would still be accepted, they would not be routinely or automatically granted
and only be considered and approved if they showed a very urgent need for funding. Fair profits would
only be used for village improvements and not for general running costs of the Council.
It was also agreed that the grant scheme would be from 1st December until the end of January 2017.
The appropriate changes to the grant forms were agreed and the following letter to be sent to previous
applicants to explain the situation.
CRAFT AND COUNTRYSIDE FAIR
GRANT APPLICATIONS FROM LOCAL ORGANISATION 2016/17
As you are no doubt aware The Parish Council has given a substantial amount to local organisations over a
number of years. This grant funding was from profits related to the Annual Countryside Fair. The Parish
Council, like other public bodies, has come under further increased financial pressure and there is a need to
review all areas of expenditure to provide the best value for money.
There are a number of projects within the parish, which cannot be fully funded from the precept, and the
Council propose to utilise some of the profits from the Countryside Fair to complete them. The Council would
only use this money for such projects and not the general running costs of the Council
These projects include play areas, sports pitches, parks and recreational areas and would benefit the
Community as a whole.
This decision means that the amount available for distribution to local organisations has been reduced and
therefore Grant Applications will only be granted on the basis of an urgent need for funds.
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As in the past, the Council would need details of the project for which funding is required, together with the
reasons why it is considered urgent and necessary, the relevant benefits to the organisation, together with full
costing’s.
The Council would also like details of current income and expenditure and current levels of reserves before
making any decision on making a contribution towards the project.
The grants programme would open on 1st December and the deadline for the receipt of grant applications has
been extended to 31st January 2017.
RESOLVED: To publish the new grant forms.
To extend the deadline for receipt of applications to 31st January 2017.
To write to previous applicants as above.
10. Grass cutting contract 2017-2020 – consideration of schedule.
It was reported that Cllr. Bennett and Cllr. Walton were in the process of liaising with WFEG regarding the
grass cutting schedule to account for the bulbs planted as part of the River of Flowers project.
11. Consideration of Clerk contract and pension arrangements.
The Clerk’s current contract was noted and the issue would be deferred until the next meeting.
Cllr. Walton would liaise with Cllr. Cannon regarding the new pension regulations.
12. Consideration of Parish Caretaker contract.
It was noted that the Contract for the Parish Maintenance, was due for renewal in January 2017. It was hoped
that the current contractor would remain.
13. Consideration of Council budget for financial year ending 31st March 2018.
Following a lengthy debate the following budget was agreed.
PRECEPT BUDGET 2017-2018
Council Tax Base
Parish Precept per Band "D"
1118.93
40.17
INCOME
Precept
£44,947.42
Council tax grant element of precept.
£2,636.00
User Groups Rents
£4,000.00
Pavilion hire
£1,000.00
Agency services
£1,860.00
Interest earned
£280.00
Allotments
£620.00
£55,343.42
Grants
0
VAT REFUND
0
Miscellaneous
0
Pensioners Party
0
Walks Booklet
0
EARMARKED FUNDS NOT LISTED
SEPARATELY
0
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Neighbourhood Plan Grant
0
Transfer from Fair Fund
0
TOTAL INCOME
£55,343.42
EXPENDITURE
Clerk's pay
HMRC clerk tax and NI
HMRC - Council element of Clerks NI
Pension Fund
Caretaker
Chair's expenses
£16,937.00
Included in above
£1,207.00
£846.00
£3,744.00
£640.00
Grass cutting
£16,255.00
Maintenance
£1,325.00
Dog/Litter bins
£2,200.00
Insurance
£1,800.00
Water
£400.00
Electricity
£1,200.00
Newsletter
£2,300.00
Office / Mileage/ Postage
£600.00
Stationery
£300.00
Play inspection
£215.00
Audit fees
£530.00
SPCA
£450.00
Society of Local Council Clerks -
£200.00
Public Works Loan Board
£181.00
Fishing rights
£225.00
Staffs. Com. Council
£25.00
Staffordshire Playing Fields Assoc
£15.00
Miscellaneous
sub total
£200.00
£51,795.00
VAT
£0.00
Transfer to fair fund
£0.00
EARMARKED FUNDS EXPENDITURE
Recreational areas
£0.00
Woodland
£0.00
grants ( Net'w Rail gate piers)
£0.00
CONTINGENCIES - Election Costs
£0.00
CONTINGENCIES - Tree work
£1,500.00
CONTINGENCIES Capital Projects
£2,000.00
Pavilion
£0.00
Allotments
£0.00
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Youth Council
£0.00
Pensioners Party
£0.00
Walks Booklet
£0.00
Street Signage
£0.00
S137
£0.00
Neighbourhood Planning
£0.00
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
£55,295.00
SURPLUS budgeted over total Expenditure
budgeted:
£48.42
It was noted that this represented a 2% increase of the precept, which included the reduction in the District
Council tax support grant.
RESOLVED: To recommend that the Council adopts the above budget.
14. Consideration of precept requirements.
It was agreed if the budget is set at £55,295 a precept of £44,947.42 and council tax grant of £2,636, totalling
£47,583.42 would be recommended to the Council.
RESOLVED: To recommend to the Council to request a precept totalling £47,583.42
15. Date of next meeting:
It was agreed the meeting would be 13th February 2017.
Cllr. Walton thanked all those present for their attendance and declared the meeting closed.
______________________ Chairman
______________________ Date
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