FOLKESTONE TOWN COUNCIL
MINUTES of the Finance and General Purposes Committee Meeting held at Folkestone Town Council Offices, 4/5 Princes Gate, George Lane, Folkestone on Thursday, 12 August 2010 at 7.00 p.m.
PRESENT: Councillors G Fuller, P Marsh (Chairman), T McNeice, T Prater, B Rolfe, M Salmon, R Theobald, R Wallace and R Wheeler.
OFFICERS PRESENT: J Childs (Town Clerk) and P Cross (Finance Officer).
581. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies from Councillor G Bunting were received and approved.
582. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillor T McNeice declared a personal interest in Item 8 – Town Grant Application from Folkestone Churches’ Winter Shelter.
583. MINUTES
The Committee was asked to receive and authorise the Minutes of the meeting held on 17 June 2010.
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee held on 17 June 2010 be received and signed as a correct record.
Proposed: Councillor R Wheeler
Seconded: Councillor T Prater
Voting: F:8, Ag:0, Ab:1
584. REQUESTS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE – TOWN GRANTS
Representatives of the Creative Foundation and Folkestone Churches’ Winter Shelter each gave a presentation in support of their application and answered questions from the Committee. A decision was made later in the meeting.
585. SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS
The Committee considered the schedule of payments for the period 1 June 2010 to 31 July 2010. Councillor M Salmon suggested that the Risk Assessment and Insurance Review be brought forward to the June meeting in future years. This was agreed.
RESOLVED: That the Schedule of Payments for the period 1 June 2010 to 31 July 2010 be approved.
Proposed: Councillor R Theobald
Seconded: Councillor G Fuller
Voting: F:9, Ag:0, Ab:0
586. BUDGET MONITORING STATEMENT 2010/11
The budget monitoring statement to 31 July 2010 was received by the Committee. It was requested that the budgets for some of the codes under the ‘Mayoralty’ heading be phased in future reports, in order to more accurately reflect the actual spending. It was also requested that, if possible, an accurate charge for vehicle insurance be obtained from the insurer.
RESOLVED: That, subject to the above, the Budget Monitoring Statement to 31 July 2010 be approved.
Proposed: Councillor B Rolfe
Seconded: Councillor R Wheeler
Voting: F:9, Ag:0, Ab:0
587. REQUEST FOR THE USE OF FOLKESTONE TOWN COUNCIL LOGO
The Committee considered a request from Step-Short to use the Folkestone Town Council logo in its literature.
RESOLVED: That the Committee were happy for Step-Short to use the logo in line with normal permissions (i.e. as an indication of support/sponsorship).
Proposed: Councillor P Marsh
Seconded: Councillor G Fuller
Voting: F:9, Ag:0, Ab:0
588. MATTERS AND RESOLUTIONS FROM OTHER COMMITTEES
Full Council Meeting – 15 July 2010
Revisions to Standing Orders
The Committee received Report C/10/078 which made proposals to amend the Council’s Standing Orders.
RESOLVED: That a Working Group be established, reporting back to Full Council with details of amendments and clearly showing items added and removed.
Proposed: Councillor M Salmon
Seconded: Councillor R Theobald
Voting: F:9, Ag:0, Ab:0
RESOLVED: That the above Working Group consists of the following Committee members:
Councillor T Prater
Councillor B Rolfe
Councillor M Salmon
Proposed: Councillor P Marsh
Seconded: Councillor G Fuller
Voting: F:9, Ag:0, Ab:0
589. REQUESTS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Town Grants
Councillor P Marsh declared a personal interest in the following grant request.
Ska-Bour Festival
The Chairman gave approval for a late request from Councillor T Prater to be considered. Ska-Bour Festival had previously received a grant of £1,500 and been offered an additional guarantee against loss of up to £1,500. Tickets were now being sold but the venue’s administrators were retaining all monies until after the event, presenting cash flow difficulties for the organisers. Councillor T Prater had therefore received a request that the additional £1,500 be released now and the relevant amount be returned once any profits had been finalised.
RESOLVED: That the sum of £1,500 be released with a statement that Folkestone Town Council must have first call on any profit made.
Proposed: Councillor P Marsh
Seconded: Councillor B Rolfe
Voting: F:9, Ag:0, Ab:0
Creative Foundation (Book/Science Festival)
RESOLVED: That a town grant of £5,000 be made available with immediate effect. This will comprise of £3,500 for the Book Festival and £1,500 for the Science Festival.
Proposed: Councillor T McNeice
Seconded: Councillor T Prater
Voting: F:9, Ag:0, Ab:0
RESOLVED: That town grants of £3,500 for the Book Festival and £1,500 for the Science Festival be added to the Recurring Grants budget for the three subsequent years.
Proposed: Councillor M Salmon
Seconded: Councillor T Prater
Voting: F:9, Ag:0, Ab:0
Councillor T McNeice left the meeting whilst the following grant request was being considered.
Folkestone Churches’ Winter Shelter
RESOLVED: That a town grant of £5,000 be made available with immediate effect.
Proposed: Councillor B Rolfe
Seconded: Councillor T Prater
Voting: F:8, Ag:0, Ab:0
RESOLVED: That a town grant of £5,000 be added to the Recurring Grants budget for the following year only.
Proposed: Councillor G Fuller
Seconded: Councillor B Rolfe
Voting: F:8, Ag:0, Ab:0
Councillor T McNeice returned to the meeting at this point.
Leigh Sinden – Folkestone Carnival Court (Regalia for Miss Folkestone)
RESOLVED: That a town grant of £100 be made available with immediate effect.
Proposed: Councillor P Marsh
Seconded: Councillor R Wallace
Voting: F:3, Ag:3, Ab:3
The casting vote therefore fell to the Chairman who approved the motion.
Folkestone Film Factory CIC (Freedayz Film Festival)
RESOLVED: That a town grant of £1,000 be made available with immediate effect.
Proposed: Councillor T McNeice
Seconded: Councillor G Fuller
Voting: F:5, Ag:0, Ab:4
RESOLVED: That the above will not be included in the Recurring Grants budget at present.
Proposed: Councillor R Wallace
Seconded: Councillor P Marsh
Voting: F:6, Ag:0, Ab:3
Folkestone Platoon Kent ACF
RESOLVED: That a town grant of £1,000 be made available with immediate effect.
Proposed: Councillor R Theobald
Seconded: Councillor R Wheeler
Voting: F:8, Ag:0, Ab:1
Grand Old Timer Rally
RESOLVED: That a town grant of £500 be made available with immediate effect.
Proposed: Councillor R Wheeler
Seconded: Councillor R Wallace
Voting: F:8, Ag:0, Ab:1
RESOLVED: That the above will not be included in the Recurring Grants budget at present.
Proposed: Councillor P Marsh
Seconded: Councillor B Rolfe
Voting: F:6, Ag:2, Ab:1
HG Wells’ Festival
RESOLVED: That a town grant of £500 be made available with immediate effect.
Proposed: Councillor M Salmon
Seconded: Councillor T McNeice
Voting: F:9, Ag:0, Ab:0
RESOLVED: That the above will not be included in the Recurring Grants budget at present.
Proposed: Councillor P Marsh
Seconded: Councillor B Rolfe
Voting: F:5, Ag:3, Ab:1
Ward Grants
Councillor R Wallace declared a personal interest in the application from Folkestone Cricket Club in respect of Elliot Tyler.
RESOLVED: That the following ward grants be approved on block:
1st Cheriton Scout Group £500 for Building Improvements (Cllr P Gane)
Age Concern Folkestone £550 for Storage Unit and Shelving (Cllr P Gane)
Folkestone People’s History Centre £351 for Voice Recorder and Camera (Cllr S Wallace)
Folkestone Cricket Club £140 for Skills Development – Elliot Tyler (Cllr T McNeice)
Folkestone Cricket Club £140 for Skills Development – Hayden Hindry (Cllr T McNeice)
Folkestone Cricket Club £140 for Skills Development – Daniel Marsh (Cllr T McNeice)
Folkestone Cricket Club £800 for Equipment for Ladies’ Cricket Team (Cllrs L Beaumont, G Bunting, T McNeice and M Sheldrake £200 each)
Shepway District Council £2,000 (see note below) for Refurbishment of Lower Radnor Park Play Area (Cllrs L Beaumont £1,000 and Cllrs B Rolfe and M Sheldrake £500 each)
Shepway District Council £800 for Re-establishment of Leas Flowerbed (Cllr R Wheeler)
Proposed: Councillor P Marsh
Seconded: Councillor G Fuller
Voting: F:9, Ag:0, Ab:0
Note that the grant of £2,000 for the refurbishment of Lower Radnor Park Play Area is subject to confirmation from Shepway District Council that the scheme will go ahead.
590. RISK ASSESSMENT AND INSURANCE REVIEW
The Committee considered Report F/10/085 which provided an updated business risk assessment and insurance review. Referring to section 15, Councillor M Salmon requested that minutes be made available on the website before they have been ratified by the relevant Committee.
RESOLVED: That minutes be made available on the website, provided that they are approved by the appropriate Chairman and are marked as ‘unadopted’.
Proposed: Councillor M Salmon
Seconded: Councillor B Rolfe
Voting: F:9 Ag:0 Ab:0
It was requested that an annual request to update the register of members’ interests be sent out with the agenda for the Annual General Meeting. Councillor M Salmon also requested that the form relating to members’ interests be made available on the website.
RESOLVED: That a note of the annual request to members be added to section 18 of the business risk assessment.
Proposed: Councillor M Salmon
Seconded: Councillor P Marsh
Voting: F:9 Ag:0 Ab:0
Councillor T Prater questioned the insurance value of the William Harvey Statue in relation to the War Memorial and suggested that a valuation of both be carried out.
RESOLVED: That, subject to the above addition to section 18, the business risk assessment and insurance review be accepted.
Proposed: Councillor T Prater
Seconded: Councillor M Salmon
Voting: F:9 Ag:0 Ab:0
591. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Thursday, 21 October 2010 at 7.00 p.m.
The meeting closed at 9.10 p.m.
Chairman…………………………………………………
Date………………………………………………………
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