Whittington & Fisherwick
Parish Council
FINANCE / ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING.
Minutes of the Meeting. Commencing 7.30pm, Wednesday 2nd May 2018.
Present:Cllrs. M. Bennett,J. Cannon, C. Millar and Garry Hyde.
In Attendance: David Walton – Parish Clerk.
- Election of Chairman for the forthcoming year.
It was proposed, seconded, and unanimously agreed that Councillor Martyn Bennett continue as Chair of the Finance Committee.
RESOLVED: Councillor Martyn Bennett be appointed as Chair of the Finance Committee.
- Apologies.
None. All members present.
- Declaration of Interests on Agenda Items and consideration of dispensations where appropriate.
No declarations were made.
- Approval of the minutes of the meeting held on the 7th February 2018.
It was proposed, seconded, and agreed to approve the minutes.
RESOLVED: To approve the minutes.
- Matters arising from the Minutes.
Councillor Garry Hyde reported that the new Members of the PC had been invited to join the Environment Committee.
RESOLVED:The invitation be noted.
- Current financial position and audit of current financial matters.
The Clerk reported that the Precept for 2018/19 had recently been received from Lichfield District Council.The accounts for the first month of the 2018/19 financial year will be presented to the full PC meeting on the 14th May.
RESOLVED: Noted.
- Annual Audit Consideration
The Parish Clerk detailed the position regarding the preparation of the Accounts for 2017/18 and the external audit review. The internal audit had been completed in the last couple of days and the Internal Audit Report has been signed . The Chairman of the PC will be asked to sign the overall Annual Governance Return at the May PC Meeting, after which they will be submitted to Mazars, the external auditors. The accounts will be placed on deposit for members of the public to review and ask questions. Councillor Millar asked about Fixed Asset values as reported on the Variance Report, and was informed that this referred to the value of the Pavilion.
RESOLVED: The audit position of the 2017/18 Accounts be Noted.
- Consideration of financial matters – Spending on Council Priorities
Councillor Bennett outlined what he wanted to achieve at the May PC meeting. He wants the PC to facilitate the high priority initiatives that came out of the PC wide exercise. The Finance Committee will then decide how best to fund these initiatives, some of which may be suitable for grant funding. Councillor Bennett has already spoken to Councillor Spencer about HS2 Funding. Councillor Millar indicated that she would give strong support to Vehicle Activated Signs on the basis that HS2 will generate a great deal of additional traffic, as will the reconfiguring of the Whittington Golf Club. Councillor Cannon flagged up additional tree works that will be required.
RESOLVED: The PC will review its Priorities every year at the May PC meeting. The Finance Committee will make recommendations on how these priorities can be funded.
- Accounts for Payment.
None required for this meeting.
RESOLVED: Noted.
- General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
The Parish Clerk outlined the latest position regarding the steps that have to be taken to comply with the new regulations that come into force on the 25th May.On Wednesday of last week (25th April) the Government tabled an amendment to its own Data Protection Bill to exempt all parish and town councils from the requirement to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) under the General Data Protection Regulations. Officials from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have confirmed with NALC that all other measures will still apply, but that appointing a DPO to support a council’s approach to data protection will be discretionary and may be regarded as good practice. Prior to the exemption announced on 25th April, Staffordshire County Council have been promoting a Data Protection Officer Service. Three tiers of service are available with the lower tier being more an insurance service (just in case of issues) costing £150 per annum, and the higher tier costing £450 per annum being a fully comprehensive questions and training package for those wishing to ensure full compliance with the legislation and implement the recommendations made in the GAP analysis. An investigation of the approach adopted by other parish councils reveals that a significant number have nominated their parish clerk to be the DPO.
RESOLVED:
(i) Although it is likely that appointing a DPO will not be mandatory for parish councils, it was agreed to appoint the Parish Clerk as DPO on an interim basis to ensure compliance with GDPR.
(ii)The business offer from Staffordshire County Council be not taken up.
(iii) A Privacy Notice to be included in the PC’s website.
(iv) Emails sent by the PC to those external to the PC will include a sentence seeking confirmation that the recipient is willing for the PC to hold certain information appertaining to them, for example telephone number, address, email address etc.
- Cricket Club – Right of Way (ROW)
The Clerk outlined the current position regarding the different strands of communication between all the parties involved. Mike Hepburn, the Cricket Club’s solicitor reported that the Diocese solicitors (Powel & Co based in Sutton Coldfield) want plans and photographs, with an explanation of why the PC wants a ROW. The Clerk replied that this had been done in2012 and it was the view of the PC that this situation had been in limbo for too long. Mike Hepburn has responded to say that a letter from the Chairman of the PC addressed to him, would be passed onto Powel & Co, and this should resolve matters. This has been done. The Council’s solicitors, Ansons, have also said that their costs have increased from £550 + VAT to £720 + VAT.
RESOLVED: The Clerk to continue to get this matter resolved as soon as possible.
12. Allotment Leases Renewal
The Clerk reported that Ansons had informed the PC the lease for the Allotment land had been prepared and was ready to be signed. However the land agent for the owner of the Allotment land has now requested a payment of £500 for work expended in agreeing to the lease extension. The PC solicitors, Ansons have said there is nothing in the lease that requires the PC to pay this, and the PC is therefore under no obligation to pay it, and can be resisted. They have also suggested that the PC has security of tenure as this is a simple renewal.
RESOLVED: The Clerk to continue to get this matter resolved as soon as possible.
13. Connect Magazine
Councillor Millar explained that she has spoken to Councillor Spencer about the content of the Connect. Local organisations have been exceeding the 500 word limit for articles and this has been putting pressure on keeping within the Council’s budget for production.
RESOLVED:
(i) Local organisations would be told in the 2nd week of May that if their submitted articles exceeded the 500 word limit there would be a risk that their article wouldn’t be published.
(ii) There would also be a PC right to edit articles to reduce to 500 words if necessary.
(iii) The PC to decide at the May meeting the form of Sponsorship
14. Committee Terms of Reference
Councillor Hyde proposed that Clause 23 be amended to include the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulations.
RESOLVED: The Clerk to amend the Terms of Reference
15.Date of next meeting.
It was agreed the next meeting would be15th August 2018.
Cllr. Martyn Bennett thanked all those present for their attendance and declared the meeting closed (8.35pm).
______Chairman ______Date
Signed…………………………………………………………………………..Dated…………………………..