HARPENDEN TOWN COUNCIL

NON CONFIDENTIAL

COMMITTEE:POLICY AND FINANCE

DATE:25 MARCH 2015

REPORT BY:TOWN CLERK

SUBJECT:TREASURY MANAGEMENT AND INVESTMENT

STRATEGY 2015-16

1.Summary

1.1The Town Council is required to annuallyapprove an Investment Strategy. The Investment Strategy sets out the framework for any long or short term borrowing or investments during the forthcoming year.

1.2Any change to the Town Council’s banking arrangements, such as investments, requires approval by the Council.

2.Recommendations

2.1It is recommended that it is agreed for an external independent review of the Investment Strategy using professional fees budget of up to £750.

2.2It is recommended to resolve to recommend to Council the attached Treasury Management and Investment Strategy for 2015/16.

3.Background

3.1The Local Government Act 2003 sets out the requirements for borrowing, investments and capital finance for Local Authorities.

3.2Local authorities have the power to invest to enable prudent management of its financial affairs including those investments which are simply made in the course of treasury management.

3.3Local authorities are required to take note of guidance on investments issued by the Secretary of State. The general policy objective is that local authorities should invest prudently the surplus funds held on behalf of their communities and that priority should be given to security and liquidity, rather than yield.

3.4A local authority, before the start of each financial year, shall draw up an Investment Strategy, which will distinguish between specified investments (those offering high liquidity and high security) and non-specified investments (which involve greater risks) for the following financial year.

3.5The Investment Strategy and any variations must be approved by Council and to be made available to the public.

4.Treasury Management Arrangements

4.1The Town Council operates a current bank account which has an arrangement to sweep excess deposits over £2,500 into an interest bearing account. It currently holds short term fixedrate investments totalling £1,050,000 which are due to mature within three months, £100,000 on call and a money market investment totalling £100,000.

4.2The level of funds held by the Town Council varies during the course of the financial year and following receipt of the annual precept from the District Council may total in the region of £2.2m.

4.3These funds are held in accordance with the counter party list approved within the 2014/15 Treasury Management and Investment Strategy.

4.4Three long term loans have been taken out with the Public Works Loans Board with repayment dates falling between March 2016 and May 2020. Any additional long term borrowing requires approval by the Secretary of State by way of the Department for Communities and Local Government.

4.5The Town Council has no short term borrowing.

4.6The Investment Strategy allows for up to 75% of surplus funds to be placed in short term (3 month) fixed rate interest bearing accounts with approved institutions including the Council’s existing bank. It also allows for short term investment of this Council’s surplus resources with approved institutions, if appropriate.

4.7The Investment Strategy for 2015/16 continues to allow the Council to use a nominated qualifying money market fund, currently the Public Sector Deposit Fund (PSDF), provided it is regulated by the UK FSA, and carries a AAA rating. These funds pool receipts and invest collectively in a range of bonds and cash based investments in order to help maximise average yields. Whilst they can maintain a high level of liquidity, it is important that Members are aware that unlike a bank deposit they can not fully guarantee return of the Councils deposit in full. The current level of investment with the PSDF is £100,000 and the proposed Strategy for 2015/16 limits the maximum investment at £350,000.

4.8The Policy and Finance Committee receives regular reports during the year updating them on the level and type of investments.

5.Risk

5.1The Council does not have and is unlikely to have the level of investment funds that Principal Councils possess. The relative smaller sums involved mean that the Council’s options for investment are limited.

5.2Risk analysis must be considered in relation to all major financial and capital transactions. The Council at all times must maintain adequate levels of security, a stable overall financial position, ensure liquidity and balances in relation to its spending commitments. The Council puts the security and liquidity of its funds before the level of returns it can achieve.

5.3The Council has decided to spread its level of risk by ensuring that all its funds are not deposited in the same bank and by restricting fixed term deposits to a maximum of 75% of its funds.

5.4The variances, unpredictability and uncertainties surrounding investments in stocks, shares, equalities and the like are such that the Council consider the risks too high and will not use them for investment purposes.

5.5Short term specified investments provide an alternative to the use of an interest bearing bank account. Any such investment should be managed to avoid unnecessary risk and therefore the Town Council would only consider investing with the following bodies or institutions:

UK Clearing Banks and their 100% subsidiaries;

Other UK Banks;

Public Bodies (including Local Authorities and Police Authorities);

The top UK Building Societies (i.e. those with assets exceeding £3.0bn)

5.6Any investments in a pooled qualifying money market funds need to provide easy access and be regulated by the UK FSA. They should also carry a ‘AAA’ rating. Many such money market funds require investment in excess of £1m for first time investors.

6.Review

6.1The Council has been approached by PSDF with regard to the opportunity for an investment in their Property Fund. This will require approval in a long-term investment, ideally 5 years or more. Some key facts include:

  • Minimum initial investment £25,000.
  • Minimum subsequent investments £10,000.
  • 92 local authorities have invested [January 2015].
  • Fund size is £320m.
  • The trustee is the Local Authorities' Mutual Investment Trust (LAMIT).
  • Can sell at a month’s notice but there is a bid/offer spread of 7.3% if withdrawn in first 2-3 years (i.e. only realising 93% of the investment).
  • Declared yield of 4.63% [February 2015] and expected to rise compared to the deposit fund of 0.4018% [March 2015].

6.2The Town Council is also currently investigating the potential sale of land which will generate a capital receipt.

6.3As the Town Council does not have the resources to utilise the services of a credit worthiness advisor, it has previously reviewedthe counterparty list with the Head of Finance of a Principal Authority. However, with the level of potential sums Members are requested to approve an external independent review of the Council’s Investment Strategy which could consider; credited investment institutions, property funds, credit periods, counterparty limits, return maximisation, risk implications, credit ratings might be appropriate. In the first instance advice would be sought from Principal Authorities. However, it might be necessary to use an investment house, which could cost about £750 for a days work. This would be met from provision in the professional fees budget.

HARPENDEN TOWN COUNCIL

DRAFT TREASURY MANAGEMENT AND INVESTMENT STRATEGY 2015– 2016

1Executive Summary

1.1In accordance with The Local Government Act 2003 local authorities are required to produce an Investment Strategy each year.

1.2This document covers potential levels of borrowing and investments.

1.3The Council will maintain interest bearing accounts for its surplus resources, but may from time to time invest in short term fixed interest investments. These investments will be with its nominated bank, Lloyds Bank (previously The Co-operative Bank), or other approved institutions.

1.4The Council may also invest in a pooled qualifying money market fund. This may be with an approved bank or with an approved institution regulated by the UK FSA with an AAA credit rating.

1.5Investments will normally be made within the limits set out in the Town Council’s counterparty list at paragraph 5.5, but may be made outside this list following advice received from a Principal Authority and approval by the Chair or Vice Chair of Policy and Finance.

2.Background

2.1Executive decisions on borrowing, investment and financing are delegated to the Town Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer, being reported to Council at the earliest opportunity.

2.2The Local Government Act 2003 introduced a new prudential capital finance system from 1 April 2004. Local Councils do not fall under the prudential code and are required to seek consent for any borrowing from the Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government.

2.3Local authorities have the power to invest to ensure the prudent management of their financial affairs but must take note of any guidance on investments issued by the Secretary of State.

2.4Section 23 of the Local Government Act 2003 requires a local authority, before the start of each financial year, to draw up an Investment Strategy, which will distinguish between specified investments (those offering high liquidity and high security) and non-specified investments, which involve greater risks, for the following financial year.

2.5Investments will be made with reference to cash flow requirements and the outlook for short-term interest rates and the Council’s investment priorities will be:

  • Security; then
  • Liquidity; then
  • Return.

2.6The Investment Strategy and any variations are to be approved by Council and be made available to the public.

3.Treasury Management

3.1Subject to any decision by Council, and approval by the Secretary of State to undertake borrowing, capital expenditure not reimbursed by grant or met from third party contributions or capital receipts will be financed by means of revenue contributions.

3.2Any Council funds will be aggregated for Treasury Management purposes to minimise external borrowing and investment. Given the current level of balances it is not anticipated that any additional external borrowing will be required during this year.

3.3Levels of external borrowing and investments at the beginning and end of 2015/16 are estimated to be:

1 April 2015 / 31 March 2016
£’000 / £’000
Short term borrowing / NIL / NIL
Long term borrowing (PWLB) / (175) / (138)
Interest bearing fixed term
Bank Deposits / 1,050 / 1,000
On call Bank Deposits / 100 / 100
AAA Money Market Funds / 100 / 100
Net investments / 1,075 / 1,062

3.4The Council has no proposals to invest sums for periods longer than 364 days.

3.5Borrowing and investments will only be affected with banks, building societies, other local authorities, qualifying money market funds regulated by the UK FSA and the National Debt Office (formerly PWLB). Only institutions and bodies meeting the criteria laid out in section 5 will be considered.

4.Security of Investments

4.1Government guidance differentiates between specified investments and non-specified investments.

4.2Specified investments are those offering high security and high liquidity with a maturity of no more than a year. In addition, short-term sterling investments must be with bodies/institutions with “high credit ratings”.

4.3Non-specified investments are usually for longer periods (i.e. more than one year) and with bodies that are not highly credit-rated. No non-specified investments are included in the Investment Strategy for this Council as these investments are not acceptable due to their higher potential risk.

5.Investment Strategy 2015/16

5.1The Council will ensure that as a minimum, surplus funds will be aggregated in an interest bearing bank account.

5.2The Council will invest in Specified Investments i.e. in sterling investments of no more than one year with its nominated bank, Lloyds Bank, or other investment bodies or institutions with high-credit ratings. These investments will be put in place when funds are of sufficient size to make such investments practical. The Town Clerk and Responsible Finance Officer will evaluate the funds available and invest them in line with the approved counterparty list set out at paragraph 5.5 taking into account interest rates available and current credit ratings of institution.

5.3No more than 75% of all funds will be in fixed term investments.

5.4Any investment in an institution not included on the counterparty list, will meet the criteria set out at paragraph 5.6 and will only be made following approval of the Chair or Vice Chair of Policy and Finance.

5.5Approved counterparty list:

UK Bank / Part Nationalised Bank / UKBuilding Society / Max. Funds to be Invested / Max. investment Term
Lloyds Bank – current account * / £250,000 / immediate access
Lloyds Bank / £750,000 / 3 months
HSBC / £1,000,000 / 3 months
Nationwide Building Society / £1,000,000 / 3 months
Co-Operative Bank ** / £250,000 / immediate access
‘AAA’ Rated Money Market Fund
CCLA Public Sector / £350,000 / immediate access

*This limit may be breached to facilitate cash management or when precept is received.

**As the Council is in the process of changing banking arrangements to Lloyds Bank this account to be closed when transfer completed.

5.6The Council will only invest in institutions and bodies meeting the following criteria:

(a)UK Clearing Banks and their 100% subsidiaries;

(b)Other UK Banks;

(c)Public Bodies (including Local Authorities and Police Authorities);

(d)The top UK Building Societies (i.e. those with assets exceeding £3.0bn)

(e)UK FSA regulated qualifying money market funds with a ‘AAA’ rating.

As the Council does not utilise creditworthiness advice services it will periodically consult with a Principle Authority to review the current credit worthiness of its counterparty list.

5.7The Council will have regard to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) 2011 publication “Treasury Management in the Public Services: Code of Practice and CrossSectoral Guidance Notes” in managing any investments.