Draft Minutes
Minutes of a meeting of the F&GP COMMITTEE held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 4th December 2024 in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex
PRESENT Cllr J O’Brien (Chair), Cllrs M Caton, S Ghosh, J Hardy, P Jones and A Khan
ATTENDING Mrs Ruth Clifford – Parish Clerk, Mrs Emma Philbrick – Deputy Clerk, Cllr A Barnes, 1 member of the public via Zoom
239 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Sell – UDC meeting
RESOVLED to accept the apologies for absence from Cllr Sell
240 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None
241 TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 6TH NOVEMBER 2024
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 6th November 2024 as a true and accurate account.
242 TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON ACTION POINTS FROM THE LAST MEETING
211B – Cllr O’Brien/office to request a meeting with Network Rail – The Clerk has tried to make contact but the person she had details for no longer works there. Cllr O’Brien talked through the options for streetlights but Cllr Caton pointed out that we needed to meet with them first to discuss the condition of the bridge and repairs that need to be carried out before street lights are considered. Cllr O’Brien has a different contact so he will forward this to the office so they can try and set up the meeting.
243 TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM THE CHAIR, CLLR O’BRIEN
“The recent budget announced by the new Labour Government has exposed what happens when the full consequences of those policies have not been taken into account. The increase in the minimum wage and National Insurance has put jobs at risk as companies look to cut overheads.
The failure of the government to exempt Local Authorities from the NI increase has only intensified the problems of financing local services which are bound to suffer just at a time when help is needed the most.
This meeting is essential for us to find an acceptable way forward in budgeting for the new Fiscal year, so let’s get on.”
244 LIGHTING
- a) TO RECIVE AN OUTAGE REPORT
All outages have been fixed apart from the light at the top of Chapel Hill where the light has been stolen.
- b) TO RECEIVE A GENERAL REPORT ON LIGHTING
We have not heard anything back from Power Networks since the lighting inventory was sent to them. We are hoping for a substantial energy saving due to the number of lights that have been switched to Part-Night Lighting.
- c) TO REVIEW THE TRIAL SWITCH-OFF OF LIGHT RG7 IN THE RECREATION GROUND
The light has been switched off for 6 months and the office have not received any comments either for or against. Having been proposed by Cllr O’Brien and seconded by Cllr Jones, it was unanimously
RESOLVED to permanently decommission RG7 on the Recreation Ground
245 FINANCE – TO APPROVE THE LIST OF PAYMENTS
The list of payments was checked against the invoices by Cllr Jones before the start of the meeting. The list of payments was approved.
246 TO CONSIDER THE INTERNAL AUDITOR’S INTERIM REPORT
The report was circulated to all members with the agenda.
It was noted that the auditor had made an error when referring to the Council’s investments and the Clerk will point this out at the next visit. The recommendations in the report have all been addressed i.e. documents on the website, the Council’s Fidelity Insurance and the basis used for recording assets.
247 TO CONSIDER INCREASING THE LEVEL OF FIDELITY GUARANTEE COVER AS PER THE INTERNAL AUDITOR’S REPORT
As per the auditor’s report, she had recommended increasing the Fidelity Guarantee Cover from £500,000 to £750,000. The Clerk advised the cost given for this by our insurance company.
Having been proposed by Cllr Jones and seconded by Cllr Khan, it was unanimously
RESOLVED to increase the Fidelity Guarantee Cover from £500,000 to £750,000
248 TO AUTHORISE THE CLERK TO SIGN THE NEW CAR PARK MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT FOR CRAFTON GREEN
The Clerk advised that very little has changed since the last one 25 years ago. There are no material changes to the Council just details such as the automated pay machines and the ability to allow people to pay via the App.
Having been proposed by Cllr O’Brien and seconded by Cllr Caton, it was unanimously
RESOLVED to authorise the Clerk to sign the new Car Park Management Agreement with Uttlesford District Council.
249 TO RE-AUTHORISE THE CLERK TO SIGN THE LEASE WITH ESSEX LIBRARY SERVICE
The Clerk explained that many years ago the Council authorised her to enter into a lease with the Essex Library Service. It has taken 5 years of being in the building to iron out the lease details, but our solicitor has advised that the document is nearly ready for signature and requested an updated resolution from the Committee authorising signature.
Having been proposed by Cllr O’Brien and seconded by Cllr Caton, it was unanimously
RESOLVED To re-authorise the Clerk to sign the lease with Essex Library Service.
250 TO REVIEW THE COUNCIL’S RISK REGISTER
This was circulated to all members with the agenda.
Although this was adopted alongside the Risk Management Policy by the Committee in April, at the meeting some minor changes had been requested which were made then approved by email. The Auditor advised that it should be brought back to the meeting so that the final version of the document can be formally reviewed and adopted. After brief discussion and review and having been proposed by Cllr Jones and seconded by Cllr Caton, it was unanimously
RESOLVED to adopt the Council’s Risk Register
251 BUDGET PROCESS – TO RECEIVE THE DRAFT BUDGET FOR 2025/26
A copy of the draft budget was circulated to all members.
Cllr Jones referred to the document detailing the main increases and decreases for next year and commented that at this stage the projected net expenditure is around £520,000 compared to £473,000 in the current year. He stated his personal opinion that he would like the precept to increase by no more than 5% after the bigger increase last year. However, to achieve this would leave a deficit of around £25,000.
He believed the simplest way to remove the deficit would be to delay the £25,000 repayment to the FHP Community Fund. To date £150,000 has been repaid out of the £200,000 owed and there are no projects in sight and unlikely that anything major would be in the next 12 months. By this time next year, the Council’s finances should be in a healthier position with funds owed by Essex County Council repaid which would enable us to resume repaying the FHP fund.
Following a brief question and answer session the Clerk detailed several discretionary items which members should consider between now and setting the precept in January.
252 WINDMILL – TO RECEIVE ANY AVAILABLE UPDATES
Cllr O’Brien gave updates from the meeting earlier this evening.
253 YOUTH MATTERS – TO RECEIVE ANY AVAILABLE UPDATES
Cllr Caton gave the following updates:
Youth Club
SY2000 have transferred the money from their account to the Parish Council to be used solely for the Youth Club. This is the sum of £2697.57.
The Youth Club is going well and there is a monitoring meeting on Friday morning so will give a more in-depth update at the next meeting.
The trip to Rungis is planned for Easter but there is no itinerary yet.
Youth Council
She is meeting with the Head of Forest Hall School tomorrow morning and will report back at the next meeting.
254 STAFF MATTERS
- a) TO RECEIVE ANY AVAILABLE UPDATES
The Projects Officer is back from maternity leave and doing a flexi return to use up some annual leave.
- b) TO CONSIDER PAYING ONE MEMBER OF STAFF FOR 5 DAYS HOLIDAY
RESOLVED That under Section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 in view of the confidential nature of the business to be discussed, the public and press be instructed to withdraw
Meeting closed at 8.30pm
Members discussed the request
Meeting re-opened at 8.47pm
Having been proposed by Cllr O’Brien and seconded by Cllr Caton, it was unanimously
RESOLVED To pay 5 days holiday to one member of staff as a one-off exception to policy due to exceptional circumstances.
Meeting closed at 8.48pm
ACTION POINTS
242 Office to contact Network Rail once contact details received from Cllr O’Brien
Members of the Committee you are hereby summoned, and members of the public and press are hereby invited, to attend a meeting of the FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE which will be held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 4th December 2024 in The Mountfitchet Exchange, Crafton Green, 72 Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex where the following business will be transacted:
Agenda
1 To receive apologies for absence
2 To receive declarations of interest
3 To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 6th November 2024
4 To receive an update on action points from the last meeting
5 To receive a report from the Chair, Cllr O’Brien
6 Lighting:
- a) To receive an outage report
- b) To receive a general report on lighting
- c) To review the trial swich-off of light RG7 in the Recreation Ground
7 Finance: To approve the list of payments for authorisation – to be tabled
8 To consider the Internal Auditor’s Interim Report – Attached
9 To consider increasing the level of Fidelity Guarantee cover as per the Internal Auditor’s Report
10 To authorise the Clerk to sign the new Car Park Management Agreement for Crafton Green
11 To re-authorise the Clerk to sign the lease with Essex Library Service
12 To review the Council’s Risk Register – Attached
13 Budget Process 2025/26 – To receive a draft budget for 2025/26 – To follow
14 Windmill – to receive any available updates
15 Youth Matters – to receive any available updates
16 Staff Matters
- a) To receive any available updates
- b) To consider paying one member of staff for 5 days holiday – Discussions may be taken in Part 2 if required
Parish Clerk 28th November 2024