Finance & Staffing Committee
Minutes of the Myland Community Council Finance & Staffing Committee Meeting held on Thursday 2nd June 2016, 7.30pm @ Myland Community Council Office, 101 Nayland Road, Colchester, CO4 5EN
Present: Cllr Pete Hewitt (Chair)
Cllr Richard Beauchamp
Cllr Carolyne Hurst
Cllr David King
There was one member of the public present.
012-16/17 Election of Chairman
Cllr Pete Hewitt Proposed: Cllr Hurst Seconded: Cllr Beauchamp (Unanimous)
Cllr Pete Hewitt was elected as Chairman unopposed.
013-16/17 Election of Vice-Chairman
Cllr Carolyne Hurst Proposed: Cllr Hewitt Seconded: Cllr Beauchamp (Unanimous)
Cllr Carolyne Hurst was elected as Vice-Chairman unopposed.
014-16/17 Apologies
Were received and accepted from Cllr Dickinson
015-16/17 Declarations of Interest
There were none.
016-16/17 Have Your Say
There was none.
017-16/17 Minutes of the meeting held on 14th April 2016 to be approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman
The minutes of the meeting of the F&S Committee held on the 14th April 2016 were approved as a true record and signed by the chairman.
Proposed: Cllr Hurst Seconded: Cllr Beauchamp (3 For; 1 Abstention)
018-16/17 Update on progress of resolutions made at the last meeting
007-16/17 – The Clerk said she was still looking for a replacement PC for the laptop. She said it was proving difficult to remain within the £350 budget. The Committee members agreed that as the Clerk, with agreement from the Chairman, was already authorised under Financial Regulations to spend up to £500 then she should use that authorisation.
009-16/17 – The Clerk said the Media Policy had been circulated and the others were in progress. She suggested that a Co-option policy may also be desirable.
019-16/17 Report from Responsible Financial Officer
- Budget monitoring
| Budget £ | Ear Marked £ | Total Actuals £ | Variance £ | |
| Income Total | 101,988.00 | 0 | 56,478.83 | 45509.17 |
| Staff Costs | 52,000.00 | 0 | 8,208.97 | 43,791.03 |
| Loan | 12,338.00 | 0 | 0 | 12,338.00 |
| Building & Mtce | 4,000.00 | 0 | 690.77 | 3,309.23 |
| Office Equipment | 3,000.00 | 0 | 359.07 | 2,640.93 |
| Mylander | 12,000.00 | 0 | 2,823.00 | 9,177.00 |
| Street furniture & Mtce | 1,140.00 | 1,860.00 | 1,033.22 | 1,966.78 |
| Meetings | 600.00 | 0 | 93.86 | 506.14 |
| Training | 1,200.00 | 0 | 77.8 | 1,122.20 |
| Fees & Subscriptions | 2,500.00 | 0 | 1,291.52 | 1,208.48 |
| Community funding | 2,000.00 | 2,000.00 | 144.77 | 3,855.23 |
| Other Costs | 4,000.00 | 0 | 0 | 4,000.00 |
| Contingency Fund | 4,000.00 | 2,000.00 | 0 | 6,000.00 |
| Projects Fund | 20,250.00 | 13,960.00 | 0 | 34,210.00 |
| Expenditure Total | 119,028.00 | 19,820.00 | 14,722.98 | 124,125.02 |
| Community Account Total | £82,170.38 |
| Tracker Account Total | £50,850.10 |
| Community Centre Account Total | £6,239.42 |
- Mylander Advertising
| Income 2016/17 | Expenditure 2016/17 | Outstanding £ |
| £610.00 | £2,823.00 | £380.00 |
Outstanding
| Feb 2016 | May 2016 | |
| Aladdins | £130.00 | |
| Carisma Bodytech | £45.00 | |
| John Tokely | £45.00 | £45.00 |
| M & K Gardens | £70.00 | |
| Mayne Vets | £45.00 | |
| Trevor Cordwell | £45.00 | £45.00 |
| Will Quince | £130.00 | |
| Yogababe | £45.00 | |
| £90.00 | £555.00 |
- Neighbourhood Plan Grant
The RFO said there was no change to the amount left of the Neighbourhood Grant. Summary below:
| Original Grant Total | £20,000.00 |
| Less Request No 01 | £576.00 |
| Less Request No 02 | £3,634.91 |
| Less Request No 03 | £737.96 |
| Less Request No 04 | £525.00 |
| Less Request No 05 | £518.00 |
| Less Request No 06 | £47.00 |
| Grant Remaining | £13,961.13 |
The RFO said she would be putting in a claim for the additional £180 costs for the middle pages of the May Mylander.
The RFO said she was also going to claim the £500 costs for the professional advice regarding Community Centres from Daniel Connal as this was part of a project associated with the Neighbourhood Plan. Committee members agreed this should also be claimed.
- Community Centre Account
Included in a) Budget Monitoring above.
The RFO advised that the 2016-18 National Pay Award information had been received and the Clerk and Asst Clerk had new pay scales back dated to April 2016. The back pay had been included in the May salaries.
The RFO said she had dealt with the Pension Automatic Enrolment as per Government guidelines via the Pension Regulator. She said the neither the Asst Clerk nor the Street Officer qualified for compulsory enrolment and although they were both offered the opportunity to sign up neither of took the offer up.
020-16/17 To review the Terms of Reference for the Finance & Staffing Committee and agree any amendments
The F&S Committee Terms of Reference were reviewed and it was agreed to insert “Produce MCC Future Business Plan” and “Produce MCC Strategy Statement” before item (f).
021-16/17 If any amendments to the Terms of Reference for the Finance & Staffing Committee are agreed to resolve to make those recommendations to full Council
It was resolved to recommend the amendments to the Terms of Reference of the F&S Committee to the full Council.
Proposed: Cllr Hewitt Seconded: Cllr Hurst (Unanimous)
022-16/17 To discuss the issues and options regarding the management of Community Centre funds and possibly agree a way forward
Cllr Hewitt said he had discussed the Community Centres issues and options with Cllr Dickinson and that she was working on a draft paper which she was not quite ready to publish yet. He said the paper presented a clear and concise view on the scope and considerations required “To actively search for funding and investment over a period of ten years which will support the research and implementation of as many projects as possible emerging from the Neighbourhood Plan”.
Cllr Hewitt said Cllr Dickinson’s paper considered the lack of community facilities across the whole Parish and projected investment levels ranged from £1m to £16m. He went on to outline from the paper why fundraising should start now and who investors could be.
He said that MCC was waiting to start discussions with the developers for the two Community Centres at Chesterwell and Severalls and the Community Group was looking at the management of the Community Centres, what would be involved, costs, etc.
Both Cllrs Hurst and King expressed serious concerns that there was a danger of being distracted from the need to immediately focus on the two Community Centres at Chesterwell and Severalls. After much discussion it was concluded that as CBC expect the new schools, especially the new secondary school to fully integrate with the community we need to establish what the schools could provide.
Also, while the value of Cllr Dickinson’s paper was acknowledged as a clear indication of needs to be considered going beyond those two centres, it was agreed there is a need for a clear, concise, evidenced paper to be drawn up to make the case for additional community facilities to seek support from CBC and inform would be investors. The Committee thought that the paper should be deferred for a few months to enable focus on Chesterwell and Severalls Community Centres.
The overall arrangements would be: Community Centres to be headed by the Community Group; additional Community facilities case to be prepared by the Neighbourhood Plan Group and funding, managed etc. by the F&S Committee.
023-16/17 If a way forward regarding the management of Community Centre funds is agreed to resolve to recommend any actions to full Council – Cllr Dickinson
Deferred – see Item 022-16/17 above.
024-16/17 To discuss the production of a MCC Five Year Business Plan
The production of a MCC Five Year Business Plan was discussed. Cllr Hewitt said the Business Plan could be based on the Neighbourhood Plan and the projects that had come out of it but would need to also embrace the traditional day to day operations of MCC. Cllr King suggested starting with something simple including visuals and key principals. Cllr Beauchamp asked why the Business Plan was limited to five years and as a consequence the Committee agreed it should be a “Future” Business Plan. It was agreed that Cllr King and the Clerk would produce a draft.
025-16/17 To discuss the production of a MCC Strategy Statement
The production of a MCC Strategy Statement was discussed. Cllr King suggested it should include key deliverables and milestones and that all Councillors should contribute by asking everyone for their ideas on what could be delivered, short and long term. Initial thoughts included: Community Centres; Neighbourhood Plan and referendum; communication and engagement with the public; retention of Rugby Club land; A12 bridge; extension of PRoW network; open space at Mile End Recreation Ground; Chesterwell Wood management; additional open space e.g. Chesterwell near A12. It was agreed that all Councillors would be asked for ideas and Cllr King and the Clerk would produce a draft Strategy Statement.
026-16/17 To consider and possibly resolve to recommend the adoption of the following policy to full Council
MCC Media Policy – Issue 1 – June 2016
It was resolved to recommend the adoption of the MCC Media Police, Issue 1, June 2016 to full Council.
Proposed: Cllr Hewitt Seconded: Cllr Hurst (Unanimous)
027-16/17 To consider and possibly resolve to recommend to full Council the virement of £15,000 from the MCC account to the Community Centre account
It was resolved to recommend the virement of £15,000 from the MCC account to the Community Centre account to the full Council.
Proposed: Cllr Hewitt Seconded: Cllr Beauchamp (Unanimous)
028-16/17 Date of next meeting – 7th July 2016, 7.30pm @ 101 Nayland Road
The meeting closed at 9.10pm.
Cllr Pete Hewitt …………………………………………………..
Chairman
Exclusion of Press & Public
Having regard to the confidential nature of the following business proposed to be transacted to exclude the Press and Public pursuant to Section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960
029-16/17 Cllr Hurst said she was working on a Lone Worker Policy which would be copied to the committee when drafted.
The meeting closed at 9.15pm.