F.L.H & S Meeting July 2019

S.P.C Logo

SHENSTONE PARISH COUNCIL

 

Serving Little Aston, Shenstone, Stonnall, Shenstone Wood End, Lynn, Parish Council Office 25C Main Street Shenstone WS14 OLZ
Tel: 01543 481 947
e-mail: <admin@shenstone-staffs.gov.uk >
web: www.shenstone-staffs.gov.uk

 APPROVED MINUTES OF FINANCE, LEGAL, HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING TUESDAY JULY 30th 2019

  1. Register of Members in attendance.

Cllrs Sheila Beilby, David Salter, Nicola Macdonald, Gail Nicholls, Stuart Jones & Nicki Gobran.

  1. Apologies Received.

None

  1. Declarations of interest on agenda items.

None

  1. Public Participation.

None

  1. Approve minutes of last FLH&S meeting Tuesday May 28th 2019

 Approved & signed

  1. Finance – current financial position.

Unity Account £21,015.00.  Nat West Current account £950.00. Nat West Business Reserve £183,108.77

 Nat West Liquidity Earmarked funds £160,687.52

Transactions for approval- details of all transactions were shared.

The Clerk then briefed the Committee on some communication from the external auditors Mazaars.

 It is their intention to raise a qualification on our account as we have failed to display five years of our audited accounts on our website.  The Clerk has contacted them to explain two points: 1- that this was not raised last year & 2- that it was decided when the website was put together to not include historical info further back than two years.  We are advised by our internal auditor, Mr Alan Topliss, to await full details of Mazaars report to see if the qualification is included at which time he will intercede as he believes there to be no legislation actually requiring five years of accounts to be displayed in this way.

The Clerk also explained that in a meeting that morning, Mr Topliss explained that, should Council exceed expenditure of £200,000 in a year, which is highly likely, we are then required to move to income and expenditure accounts reporting. This will require a computerised system and is much more detailed in terms of reporting. The Clerk is advised to visit other Parishes where this is already in place to become familiar with the system. As we have a large reserve of cash which is planned for expenditure this financial year, this move is unavoidable.

  1. Review of documentation for all Parish Council buildings/organisations as owner or custodian trustee

In preparation for management agreements between Council & associated organisations, the Clerk is charged with collating up to date paperwork including accounts, AGM minutes and constitutions.

Once drawn up, these agreements will need ratification by our Solicitors.

  1. Review of burial fees for Shenstone Lower Lawn Cemetery.

 As there have been no increases in charges for two years and, following a review of other fees across the area, a lengthy discussion took place regarding what level of increase is required for fees in Shenstone Cemetery. The following recommendation was unanimously agreed. RECOMMENDATION:

Adult burial increase from £250.00 to £600.00.

Adult cremation increase from £200.00 to £250.00

Exclusive right of burial plot increase from £200.00 to £1000.00

Exclusive right of cremation plot increase from £200.00 to £750.00.

Re open of burial plot increase from £150.00 to £300.00

Re open of cremation plot increase from ££150.00 to £250.00.

Placing of a memorial increase from £100.00 to £200.00.

All other charges unchanged. This brings Shenstone in line with other municipal cemeteries in Staffordshire & is proposed from 1st Jan 2020 following a three month notice of increase notified to funeral directors & on the website.

  1. Little Aston Village Hall – request for grant funding.

A request has been received from Little Aston Village Hall to make some modifications to their facilities in order to meet OFSTED requirements and maintain their nursery provision. Cllr Salter & Cllr Beilby corrected some points in the application, namely Charities are not exempt from VAT & that regulations do not apply to equipment installed before the regulations themselves came in to place. However, after lengthy discussion, the following recommendation was made. RECOMMENDATION: To grant fund £2495.00 for the area preparation & £3795.00 for the fencing. Both purchases to be made directly by the Council to enable the VAT to be reclaimed.

As this expenditure is required prior to the next meeting of Full Council, approval will be sought immediately by email under Standing Orders Regulations 14.1.

  1. Little Aston Recreation Ground (LARGA) – request for reimbursement of abandonment insurance re “Party in the Park”.

Council have been asked to reimburse LARGA for abandonment insurance in the sum of £624.44. The Committee were in full agreement with Cllr Jones stated that this should also apply to other event requests in the future. RECOMMENDATION: That Council approve reimbursement of £624.44.

  1. Stonnall – request for plastic bollards in Cartersfield Lane. To protect verges which are being damaged by parked cars.

Cllr Nicholls requested the purchase of 12-15 plasticBollards. There was some discussion as to the effectiveness of these, whether stones would be more effective, and whose responsibility the verges are but the Committee unanimously made the following recommendation.

RECOMMENDATION: Council approve the purchase of 12/15 bollards at £15.00 each.

  1. Shenstone Old Tower- to consider funding towards restoration project.

Cllr Salter explained that a project has started in support of the renovation of Shenstone Old Tower but that the project requires an initial slush fund to cover start-up costs & potential legal advice. The following recommendation was unanimously approved. RECOMMENDATION: That Council approve £1000.00 funding towards the project.

  1. Ear marked funds. Committee to consider releasing monies from ring fenced funds to main account.

Committee discussed the release of funds and a plan of action regarding possible expenditure with the following unanimous recommendation. RECOMMENDATION: That funds held in the Nat West Liquidity Account as ear marked funds for cemetery be renamed “Community special Projects”. At the Full Council meeting in September Council will then consider what these special projects are proportionally across the Wards. Also, that in communication to promote 2019 community grants the Council highlight that for this year only we are able to consider grants of a higher value than the usual £1000.00.

  1. A.O.B

 Mrs Gilly Sperrin, organiser of the Shenstone Christmas Market event on Dec 13th, has made a grant request to  cover promotional material and insurance costs. Funding was provisionally approved at an earlier Parish meeting.

RECOMMENDATION:  Council approve a grant of up to £1000.00 to cover costs with invoices sent direct to Council so VAT can be reclaimed.

 Cllr Salter briefed Council on ongoing issues regarding the position of Shenstone Parish Council and Stonnall Youth & Community Centre.  The attached statement was read which is hoped will clarify the situation and was approved by all Councillors in attendance. This statement will now be circulated for Full Council approval before being communicated to the public if unanimously approved.

  1. Next meeting of FLH&S Committee Tuesday October 29th at 5.30pm.