F.L.H &S Meeting October 2019

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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 OCTOBER 29th 2019 

  1. Register of Members in attendance.

Cllrs Sheila Beilby, Gail Nicholls, Nicola Macdonald, Mick Cox, Lesley Edgley,  Nicki Gobran, Stuart Jones, John Branch, Darryl Godden.  Shirley O’Mara- Clerk/RFO.

  1. Apologies Received

Cllrs David Salter, David Thompson, Kelly Harrison, Nick Smith, Neil Perry.

  1. Declarations of interest on agenda items.

None.

  1.   Public Participation.

  1. Approve minutes of last FLH&S meeting Tuesday July 30th

Approved & signed. Cllr Beilby drew attention to item 18- all documentation requested not yet shared with the Clerk. Clerk to chase.

  1. Finance – current financial position as at 29th October 2019.

Unity Bank £43,246.07 Nat West Current £935.00  Nat West Reserve £123,194.06

Nat West Liquidity Account (formerly ear marked funds for cemetery) £161,039.53.

Total £328,414.66

Transactions for approval for October were shared.

Cllr Beilby updated the Committee on a recent visit by Alan Topliss to check the half year audit & reported all was in good order.

  1. Little Fishes grant application 2018/19- request to use funds already granted for storage of equipment.

As Little Fishes are no longer operating , a request has been received to use the funds allocated earlier this year for an alternative purpose: that being the storage of existing equipment rather than the purchase of new equipment.
RECOMMENDATION: To approve request. Proposed Cllr Beilby, seconded Cllr Nicholls & unanimously agreed.   

  1. Request for replacement tree outside Edwards Rest Cottage in Stonnall.

A request has been made to replace a tree which had to be removed due to disease.  The committee has a number of questions regarding species, spacing & permissions so Clerk charged with investigating and reporting back.

  1.   Request for a cork noticeboard in Stonnall.

Cllr Nicholls explained a need for a cork noticeboard in one of the bus stops in Stonnall at a cost of £28.00.       RECOMMENDATION: Proposed Cllr Jones, seconded Cllr Godden & unanimously agreed.

  1. Shenstone Christmas Market- request for additional grant funds and events insurance.

Mrs Gilly Perryn is the organiser of the Christmas Market on Dec 13th and has requested additional grant funding to cover the cost of a contractor to erect the stalls outside the Main Street shops & to cover events insurance of £144.00.

There were discussions regarding make up of stall holders, expected numbers and use of potential profits to self-fund for next year. The Committee would like to see details of what the grant already given has been used for and have a breakdown of the exact costs expected from the stall contractor. Clerk to chase.

  1. Community Grant applications.

Applications are now welcome from all community groups and organisations until Jan 3rd.

Advertised in the newsletter, on the e-bulletin, the website, noticeboards and social media.

  1. Stonnall- request for Christmas lights.

Cllrs Beilby & Nicholls shared a request for Christmas lighting outside the shops in Main Street. These would be battery operated like those used in Shenstone.
RESOLUTION: Committee unanimously recommend that Council approve the purchase up to a value of £300.00. Proposed Cllr Jones, seconded Cllr Gobran.

  1. Shenstone Old Tower – not discussed.

  1. Business Reserve and Liquidity accounts- consider & review finance for remainder of 2019/20 with recommendations.

The Clerk shared a full financial breakdown of actual income and expenditure to date and the forecast (attached).  The Committee also looked at the balance of all accounts with the following          RECOMMENDATION: No precept increase in 2020/21. Proposed Cllr Nicholls, seconded Cllr Beilby and unanimously approved.

There was then a discussion regarding reserved funds and a brain storm of ideas re possible expenditure.

An assessment of all Parish assets has been completed.  The following ideas were put forward as possibilities for funding:

The Lammas Land- path refurbishment or extension. Up to £13,000

Shenstone Village Hall- toilets require refurbishment as does the conference room. £4,000.

Shenstone Library: repaint & align disabled parking space £250.00

Richard Cooper Room- £1,000 for structural integrity report.

Stonnall Playing Fields- 40 metres of bow top metal fencing: £6,000. Replacement mini roundabout: £2,000 Outdoor table tennis table: £3,500.

Stonnall St Peters Church- complete paving on footpath: £1,000

Stonnall Youth & Community Centre: £1,000 for full structural survey.

Little Aston & Stonnall- CCTV for main shops areas & The Grove: £5,000

Little Aston Village Hall – general decoration & improvements to windows & décor in rear meeting room: £5,000.

Cllr Branch also reported that Shenstone Playing Fields play area needs some attention. The Clerk will ask the Lengthsman to assess.

Regarding the Nat West liquidity account the following recommendation was made: – RECOMMENDATION:   

Re ring funds for a) potential rebuild costs Stonnall Youth & Community Centre

  1. b) Professional/Legal fees re management agreements required for all Parish building/land assets c) new/updated neighbourhood plans.  Unanimously approved.

NEXT MEETING OF FINANCE, LEGAL, HEALTH & SAFETY COMMITTEE TUES DEC 17th at 5.30pm.