KINGSTEIGNTON TOWN COUNCIL. FINANCE MINUTES
Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday the 16th November 2016 at the Community Hall, Rydon Road, Kingsteignton at 7:00 pm.
Present:
Chairman: Councillor D Rollason
Councillors: B Austen, R Bovey, C Meathrel, W Thorne, G Wickham
Ex Officio: Councillor R. Peart
Member of the Public: Mrs E Wickham
Finance Officer: Mr J. Stacey
F77/16To receive apologies for absence and consider if the reason for the absence should be formally approved by the Council.
Apologies were received from Cllr Marshall and Cllr Stevenson and approved by the Council
F78/16To receive any Declaration of Interest.
There were no declarations of interest.
F79/16Minutes
The Chairman signed the Minutes of the meeting held on the 19 October 2016 which had been agreed at the Full Council meeting.
F80/16Audit Commission. Completion of Audit Comments.
Councillors had received a copy of the Audit Report and the Comments.
Mr Stacey, Finance Officer, explained the details in the report of which there were 7, 2 were part of our Audit and 5 were merely observations. Of the 2, one was a mis-understanding of the submission date and the other was an allocation of our DALC subscription in the incorrect column for 2014/15 which could not be amended and had been signed off by the Auditors. Mr Stacey has agreed with Grant Thornton that the 5 observations are valid points and systems had been put in place to ensure they will not be repeated in the 2016/2017 return. None of them involved a monetary value but it was noted that we need to update our Asset Register by the end of March 2017 and that the Langridge Trust figure was not consider as a Trust in the sense of the word.
Cllr Austen asked if the Kingsteignton Youth Club should be included on the Asset Register as we “owned” the Club. This could not be answered at the Meeting soit was agreed that the position will be looked at by Mr Stacey in conjunction with the Town Clerk to ensure that the position is clarified.
F81/16Bill Paid and Receipts for October 2016
The Committee were passed copies of the Bills Paid and the Receipts banked for October 2016, the contents were noted. Mr Stacey explained that both amounts were unduly high due to the transfer of monies from one account to another (Finance Minutes F52/16) and the input of Elector Funding and Donation from Cllr Tony Dempster.
Cllr Thorne asked why we had 2 payments made to Teignbridge District Council in respect of October Payroll. Mr Stacey advised that this was the way in which our wages were handled by Teignbridge District Council. The first payment was a basic drawing which did not change from month to month. The second payment was for the make up of wages and included any overtime for the staff and also the wages for the Youth Club. (note: the Youth Club Wages are re-paid every month).
F82/16Business Internet Banking Signatories (Discussion)
Mr Stacey explained that, in conjunction with Cllr Meathrel, he had been trying to open the account at Lloyds. All of the required paperwork was now through but the problem was that, in trying to install Internet banking, Lloyds would refuse the Finance Officer access through the Internet as he was not a signatory to the account. This will also apply to NatWest accounts as they would operate the same systems.
Due to the low movement of funds through the Business Account at Lloyds Mr Stacey did not consider it to be essential that we have Internet access for this account, his main concern was that he should have access to the NatWest accounts, as an example he explained that, as at the 16thof the month, he had still not had the Statement for our account from NatWest and therefore was not able to advise the Office of any BACS payments received for Hall Bookings or reconcile the accounts for October.
Cllr Meathrel expressed concern over some of the wording on the Application Forms received from Lloyds this was confirmed by Cllr Peart, it was agreed that when Cllr Rollason had read his copy they would confer together to decide if they should be signed or taken back to Lloyds.
Cllr Rollason agreed that both Mr Stacey and Mrs Lakin should be made signatories to all of the NatWest accounts. Proposed by Cllr Rollason. Seconded by Cllr Austen.
(After minute: On her return to work from sick leave the Clerk wishes to point out that herself and Mr Stacey can be added as signatories to the Council accounts but they are not allowed to sign cheques. This would only be for means of using internet banking)
F83/16Correspondence
Cllr Peart advised that Mr Willoughby had volunteered to resume the Litter Picking to take some of the pressure away from Dave Turner. It was discussed that the Town Council should take on a temporary person to assist in the opening and closing of the Hall and the cleaning. It was agreed that Mr Stacey would look into the employment of a temporary assistant.
F84/16Additional Item
Cllr Rollason advised on a meeting with Kingsteignton Swimming Pool at which he was advised that they had about £11,300 in their account most of which consisted of reserved funds and could only be used for improving changing rooms and to pay outstanding bills. Unreserved funds available for the operation of the pool at the start of next year were about £2000. It costs around £3500 per week to run the pool and he is concerned that they do not have sufficient funds to cover the initial few weeks before revenue built up from admissions especially if there was a poor start to the season. In previous years weekly revenue matched the running costs making cash flow precarious and inhibited building up a surplus. Cllr Rollason asked if the Town Council could support the Pool on the same basis as they do the Youth Club. They raise enough money each year to run the Pool but not enough for improvements. Their biggest costs are the Lifeguards.
Cllr Wickham suggested that we, as a Town Council, have a responsibility as Custodian Trustees of the pool to support the Pool.
Cllr Meathrel stated that he would be happy to give the pool £10,000 as a loan. Cllr Bovey proposed that Kingsteignton Town Council support the Pool by way of a grant to cover any shortfall on operating costs up to £10,000. Seconded by Cllr Peart and agreed. Cllr Meathrel voted against.
There being no further business the meeting close at 20:25.
Signed ……………………………………Date 14th December 2016