MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE ESTABLISHMENT COMMITTEE HELD ON WEDNESDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER 2010 AT 8.40PM IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, SIMPSON CENTRE, STOTFOLD
Committee Members present: B Collier (Chairman)
Mrs S Bundock A Cooper Mrs M Cooper S Hayes Mrs J Hyde B Saunders
Also present: The Clerk
2063. APOLOGIES There were no apologies for absence.
2064. DISCLOSURES OF MEMBERS INTERESTS Councillor Mrs Bundock declared an interest in the grant request from Stotfold Parents Association. Members were reminded that if at any time during the meeting they feel they have an interest in an item being discussed, they should declare it at that point.
2065. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION – QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND RESPONSES There were no members of the public present.
MATTERS ARISING
2066. Town Council notice boards (see minute 2058-23/06/10) No response has been received from the Fairfield Residents Association following a request for details on possible siting of a Town Council notice board at Fairfield. No response has been received from the Co-op regarding possible siting of a Town Council notice board on their building. They have both been chased.
2067. CORRESPONDENCE There were no items of correspondence to report.
2068. CHAIRMANSHIP TRAINING Members were asked to consider undertaking the following training for Chairmen of Committees and Council: Developing Chairmanship Skills - Tuesday 5th October, 7.30pm to 9.30pm, Intermediate Chairmanship Skills - Wednesday 27th October 7.30pm to 9.30pm or Tuesday 7th December 10.30am – 12.30pm. All sessions take place at the BATPC offices in Biggleswade. Cost for each delegate attending £25. Chairmen or Vice-Chairmen may attend.
Resolved that Councillor Hayes attends the session on Tuesday 5th October, Councillors Mrs Hyde, Mrs Bundock, and Cooper attend the session on Tuesday 7th December, and Councillor Collier attends the session on 27th October. Cost £125 from the Councillor Training budget.
27/09/10 1 2069. STAFF TRAINING/CONFERENCES Members were asked to consider authorising the Clerk to attend the following training session and conference: ‘Motivating your Team’ – Tuesday 12th October 2010, Bury St Edmunds, course fee £197, mileage £63. SLCC Practitioner’s Conference – Friday 25th & Saturday 26th February 2011, Stoke on Trent, conference fee £190 (final confirmation of figure to be received from SLCC), mileage £160.
Resolved that the Clerk is authorised to attend the above training session and conference, with funds from Staff Training and Clerk’s Expenses budgets.
2070. EXECUTIVE ACTION – SLCC REGIONAL CONFERENCE Members were asked to approve executive action taken by the Clerk in booking a place at the SLCC Regional Conference in Norwich on Tuesday 21st September 2010. Fee £55, mileage £108. Topics covered: surviving difficult times, Local Council health check, Village Halls and a problem solving session.
Resolved that the executive action taken by the Clerk in booking a place at the SLCC Regional Conference on 21st September 2010 is approved.
2071. CLERK’S MEMBERSHIP OF THE INSTITUTE OF LOCAL COUNCIL MANAGEMENT Members were asked to consider authorising the Clerk to become a ‘Member’ of the SLCC’s Institute of Local Council Management. Cost £60 per year, plus initial administration fee of £15. Entry requirement is to have passed CiLCA and have 5+ years qualifying experience. The Clerk must also be committed to Continuous Personal Development (CPD) and complete an annual training log. This is an opportunity to increase credibility and status within the wider local government network, and shows professionalism of the Clerk and Council. There is also a dedicated information source for members, and conference and course discounts.
Resolved that the Clerk is authorised to join the Institute of Local Council Management, and become a ‘Member’, at a cost of £60 per year, plus initial fee of £15.
2072. POWER OF WELLBEING Members were asked to consider recommending to Council to extend our powers and potential responsibilities by adopting the Power of Wellbeing. The Power of Wellbeing is a new style of legislation which may be used by Town and Parish Councils and may be used to promote or improve economic, social or environmental wellbeing of the area and overrides previous legislation. It makes the Council much more flexible in being able to spend money on any project that could improve the local community.
Eligibility criteria – the Council must have a qualified Clerk; minimum of two-thirds of vacancies on the Council filled at the last ordinary elections; 80% of Councillors trained in the use of the wellbeing power; and have published a statement of intent as to community engagement.
BATPC can provide training for Councillors and staff at the Simpson Centre for £88. The Clerk is required to complete and pass a new Well-Being section of CiLCA and this will cost £15.
Recommended that all Councillors attend a training session on the Power of Well Being, to take place at the Simpson Centre, during an evening to be arranged with
27/09/10 2 Members and BATPC. Following the training session, Members are to consider adopting the Power of Wellbeing.
Resolved that the Clerk seeks the opinion of other Councils who have adopted the Power as to whether they feel it is of benefit.
2073. FINANCIAL RISK ASSESSMENT Members were asked to review and approve the Financial Risk Assessment for 2010/2011 as drafted and previously circulated.
Recommended that the drafted Financial Risk Assessment for the year 2010/2011 be approved.
2074. REVIEW OF EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERNAL AUDIT Members were asked to review and approve the effectiveness of internal audit report for the year 2010/2011, and to re-confirm the use of the Internal Audit Programme, previously circulated.
Recommended that the drafted Review of Effectiveness of Internal Audit for the year 2010/2011, with minor amendments for clarification, is approved.
With regard to the Internal Audit Programme, it was noted that the internal auditor provides a typed report, and although he follows the Programme, he does not actually use the form provided to him.
Recommended that the Internal Audit Programme is to be used by the internal auditor when carrying out the annual internal audit of the Council’s accounts, and that he is to use the form provided.
2075. AMENDED TERMS OF REFERENCE Members were asked to consider and approve the drafted Terms of Reference for this Committee, following Council’s approval of recommendation under minute 2060-23/06/10 regarding the Citizens Award Scheme.
Recommended that the drafted Terms of Reference for this Committee are adopted.
2076. GRANT FEEDBACK FORMS & NEW GRANT APPLICATIONS Members considered the grant feedback forms received from the previous successful grant recipients, and the Clerk was asked to chase those who had received a grant but had not yet submitted a feedback form.
Members then considered the grant requests before them. Councillor Mrs Bundock took no part in discussions or voting on the grant request from Stotfold Parents Association. Available in the budgets: S137 grants £2,000, other grants £1,517. S.137 may be used for the direct benefit to the area, or part of it, or all or some of its inhabitants, and benefit obtained must be commensurate with the expenditure incurred. The decision of whether benefit would be in the interest of the area, or its inhabitants, and whether it would be commensurate with the expenditure incurred is made by the Council.
27/09/10 3 Recommended that the following grants are approved:
Organisation Purpose of grant Amount granted Stotfold Bowls Club Provision of fertiliser for Bowling Green £880 (LGA (Misc Provs) 1976 s19) Stotfold Parents Association Contribution towards Stotfold Arts & Crafts £117 Event (LGA (Misc Provs) 1976 s19) 1st Stotfold Scouts Group Replace individual windows in Scout Hut £520 (LGA (Misc Provs) 1976 s19) Haig Fund Contribution towards Poppy Appeal (LGA £150 1972 s137) Victim Support Contribution towards volunteers visiting £200 Stotfold people in their homes(LGA 1972 s137) Fairfield Hall Residents Contribution towards replacement diseased £250 Association trees at Fairfield Park (LGA 1972 s137) Vitalise Contribution towards provision of care £435.75 breaks for Stotfold residents (LGA 1972 s137) Stotfold Library Contribution towards children’s author for £250 visit to library (LGA 1972 s137)
Total Section 137 grants £1,285.75 Total other grants £1,517.00
It is to be suggested to Fairfield Hall Residents Association that if they have further tree planting schemes they should contact the Central Beds Council tree depot for quotes.
It is to be suggested to Vitalise that individuals they hope to support, should contact the Eleemosynary Charity of William Field for financial assistance.
Link-A-Ride and Magpas Emergency Medical Charity are to be thanked for their applications for grant assistance, but on this occasion they have been unsuccessful. They are welcome to submit another application for next year’s consideration of grants.
2077. LANDSCAPE, GRASS CUTTING AND HANDYMAN CONTRACTS The current Landscape, Grass Cutting and Handyman contracts are due to expire on 31st March 2010. Members were asked to approve the main body of the three contracts. The Cemetery Management, Buildings Management and Recreation Grounds, Public Lands and Lighting Committees have approved the specifications relevant to them. The Recreation Grounds, Public Lands and Lighting Committee will consider and approve the Handyman specification at their October estimates meeting. Members were also asked to consider advertising for tenders and were reminded that should newspaper adverts be taken out, this will result in the advertising budget going over for this financial year.
Resolved that the main body of the Landscape, Grass Cutting and Handyman contracts are approved and that once all Committees have approved their relevant specifications, an advertisement is to be placed seeking tenders for the contracts in the Biggleswade
27/09/10 4 Chronicle and Comet newspapers, and in our article in the Stotfold News and Council website. Adverts are to be placed from November onwards.
2078. PURCHASE OF OFFICE TELEPHONES The Clerk’s corded telephone is working intermittently. The preferred replacement is a cordless type which will assist in daily working and movement around the office, and to enable all phones to be compatible, Members were asked to authorise the spend of £80 from the EMR – Office Equipment for a set of three cordless telephones.
Resolved that a set of three cordless telephones are purchased at £80 from EMR – Office Equipment. The old telephones are to be kept in storage in case of power failure which prevents the cordless ones from temporarily being used.
2079. BUDGET & RESERVES UPDATE Members were previously provided with a budget and reserves update as at the end of August 2010. They considered any actions necessary and it was:
Resolved that the budget and reserves update be noted. It is also to be noted that the advertising budget will be over budget following approval of above advertising spend.
2080. ITEMS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY There were no items for information.
There being no further relevant business the meeting was declared closed at 8.57pm
CHAIRMAN DATED
27/09/10 5