Finance and Policy - 12th January 2021
Minutes of the Ruskington Parish Council Finance & Policy Committee meeting held remotely on Tuesday 12 January 2021 at 7pm via MS 365 Teams
Present: Cllr G Conway (Chairman of Committee) Cllr P Cunningham, Cllr K White, Cllr S Tonge joined the meeting at 7.54pm.
Also present: Kathryn Locke (Clerk) Kirsty Sinclair (RFO),
Two members of the public were present. One representing the Village Hall Committee.
As there were no comments or questions from the public, the Chairman opened the meeting at 7pm.
1. To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting.
Cllr Tonge had advised the committee that due to unforeseen circumstances they would be late joining the meeting.
2. To receive Declarations of Interest under the Localism Act 2011- being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Members’ Register of Interests.
None were declared at this time.
3. To approve as a correct record the notes of the last Finance & Policy Committee meeting held remotely on 16 November 2020.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to accept the notes of the meeting as an accurate record and Minutes of the meeting. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr White and approved with two votes in favour and one abstention.
4. Grass cutting.
4.1 To ratify the approval of the Parish Agreement for LCC Highway verge cutting 2021-2022.
The Parish Agreement for financial year 2021/2022 was £18814.08, an increase of £94.58 from the previous year.
Action: The Committee unanimously RESOLVED to approve the Parish Agreement for LCC Highway verge cutting for year 2021/2022.
4.2 To agree the boundary of the grass area adjacent to the Village Hall for the Village Hall Committee to consider using and maintaining, and to decide the fees, if required.
The Village Hall lease had been circulated prior to the meeting and the RFO had circulated the VAT legislation and implications. This matter was discussed at length.
Action: The use of the grass area, its boundary, and the maintenance of the area to be considered at the next Council meeting on Tuesday 26 January 2021.
5. Finances: (Information circulated prior to the meeting.)
5.1 To receive/ review the quarterly financial report.
The reports were reviewed, a couple of questions answered by the RFO and accepted as an accurate financial record.
5.2 To review the approved draft budget and make any further recommendations for Council to consider.
The budget was reviewed, and no amendments were made.
Action: The draft budget to be recommended with no amendments at the next Council meeting on Tuesday 26 January 2021.
5.3 To consider the precept for financial year 2021/2022 for recommending to Council.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council a precept request for £200,314.00. This is an increase of 2.29% (£2.62 for the next financial year for a Band D equivalent property.)
Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr White and approved unanimously.
6. Policies:
6.1 To consider / review the Emergency Plan.
Action: To recruit councillors and volunteers to the Emergency Plan Committee and review and update the Emergency Plan document.
6.2 To consider / review Ruskington Parish Council’s Winter Plan.
Action: To update and put in place the winter plan for the village, such as gritting.
7. To consider the process for co-option to Ruskington Parish Council during the Covid-19 pandemic and third lockdown. (Updated information on the co-option process from NKDC had been circulated prior to the meeting.)
At this point, 7.54pm, Cllr Tonge joined the meeting.
The Council had 4 councillor vacancies. Following the resignation of a councillor, an interview panel member was required. Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic and Lockdown 3.0, no face-to-face interviews could be held.
Action: The vacancies to be advertised with a closing date of 7 February 2021. A third councillor for the interview panel to be agreed at the next Council meeting on Tuesday 26 January 2021. Interviews to be held remotely. Co-option to take place at the Council meeting on Tuesday 23 February 2021.
8. Delegates/Councillor Reports.
Cllr Cunningham advised of the need for a replacement caretaker. The role, duties and qualifications would be considered at a meeting of the HR Committee on Monday 25 January and recommendations made to Council. Cllr Cunningham asked for the previous minutes of council to be professionally bound and sealed.
Cllr White invited Cllr Tonge to the Recreation Committee meeting on Tuesday 19 January 2021 to consider ideas for a dog exercise area at Parkfield.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 8.06pm.