F, L, H & S Meeting Minutes Nov. 2018

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 21st NOVEMBER 2018

  1. Register of Members in attendance.

Cllrs Sheila Beilby, Rita Hancocks, David Salter, Gail Nicholls, Jean Wilson, Stuart Jones, Charles Fordham. Clerk/RFO: Shirley O’Mara

  1. Apologies Received.

None

  1. Declarations of interest on agenda items.

None

  1. Public Participation.

None

  1. Approve minutes of last Finance, Legal, Health & Safety meeting Tuesday September 25th 2018.

Approved & signed.

Cllr Beilby requested that the Standing Orders be re-circulated.

  1. Finance

The Clerk shared the current position of expenditure against Precept as well as a forecast of expenditure and income November to March (attached).

Following a visit from the internal Auditor last week the Clerk reported that he is completely satisfied with everything and would encourage us to be considering our budget for next year. With this in mind, the Clerk will share all of the forecast/budget information with Full Council so that the budget for 2019/20 can be agreed.

Current account positions are: Unity bank f 154,538.72. Nat West Current f995.OO. Nat West Reserve f3094.67 & Nat West Liquidity (ear marked funds for new cemetery) f 140,000.

The Clerk also shared details of November transactions highlighting the credit of f5450.44 from HMRC for the latest VAT recovery & the invoice from Pebbles Design for the newsletter- f1575.OO.

  1. Consider purchase of maintenance and gardening equipment for Council.

With Council being expected to pick up more and more from County, it was suggested that the purchase of some pieces of gardening & maintenance equipment would be extremely useful for the Lengthsman & justified expenditure. Details of the list, totalling £1200.00 was read to Council & Cllr Salter commented that he is able to supply a backpack weed spray as well as drawing attention to the importance of following HSE guidance on the use of weed killer.

RECOMMENDATION: Full Council approve expenditure of E1200 max for these purchases. Proposed Cllr Beilby, seconded Cllr Nicholls.

  1. Budget planning for 2019/20.

Covered under Item 35. Clerk will prepare a budget based on 5% & 6% increase for consideration at Full Council.

  1. Community Grant Applications

Council are now accepting applications from community groups and organisations for grants up to £1,000.00. The Clerk will contact previous applicants; the details are on the website, Parish noticeboards and in the forthcoming newsletter. Closing date for applications is Friday 11th January 5.00pm.

  1. To set date, time & location of next finance, Legal, Health & Safety Committee Meeting.

Tuesday January 29th 2019 at 5.00 Parish Council Office.

  1. O.B.

Cllr Nicholls requested that the Lengthsman use the dog fouling template around Stonnall. Cllr Salter suggested that the Parish Council should look into having a new template made & will Investigate costs.

Cllr Jones stated that the Lammas Land Committee have some concern over the two large wooden cross members which form part of the Calder bridge as they are going rotten. The Committee are going to the supplier to assess the warranty but it may be that repairs will be required at some later point.

In the meantime, though it is considered perfectly safe, the Lengthsman will assess.

Also, Cllr Jones sought assurance that the existing insurance cover was sufficient should an accident ever occur and Cllr Fordham confirmed that it was.

Cllr Jones also wished to clarify that the Telephone Box Library also had appropriate cover. Cllr Fordham again confirmed it does.

Following the recent falling tree on the Green side of the Lammas Land, Cllr Jones asked whether it would be advisable to have the other trees investigated as they are very large & overhang the footpath.

The Committee agreed that this would be the best course of attention of charged the Clerk with contacting Gareth Hare at Lichfield District Council.

The new dog fouling sign on The Lammas Land is much appreciated. The Clerk will look into quotes for more signs for other areas in the Parish.

The Clerk was also requested to contact Staffs County Council to check the schedule for re-filling the grit bins.

Cllr Salter briefed the Committee on the subject of blanket dispensations at Committee & Council meetings. This would enable Councillors who have a disclosable interest in any agenda items to speak and vote within a set period of time. The suggestion is that the Clerk distributes individual dispensation to Councillors which they return prior to the next Full Council meeting when the dispensations can be minuted.

The Clerk, having successfully achieved the CILCA qualification, is now eligible for the £1,000 increment which was approved at the Employment Committee in August and ratified at Full Council in September. This will be effective from November 1st.

Cllr Salter thanked Full Council for not dismissing the request from Little Aston Recreation Ground to consider amending the existing management agreement with the Council to a tenancy agreement. Now scheduled for further discussion at the December meeting, Cllr Salter stated that the intention is to protect one of the Council’s greatest assets. His proposal is that Council seek independent legal advice once they are in possession of all of the facts and reasoning so that this and any contract compiled is fully scrutinised.

Cllr Beilby stated that management agreements should be considered between any association with whom we are custodian trustees or notional trustees. All Committee were in agreement.