Finance and Governance, 27 January 2025

The disclosure must include the nature of the interest. If an interest becomes apparent to a member during the course of a meeting that has not been disclosed under this item, the member must immediately disclose it.

Members of the public, and members with prejudicial interests on items on the Agenda, may make representations, answer, ask questions and give evidence at this meeting in respect of items on the Agenda. (This is the only opportunity for members of the public to make a contribution during the meeting.)

Both public and members are limited to three minutes per person to speak and the total time designated for public questions shall not exceed fifteen minutes unless directed by the Chairman of the meeting.

The RFO has contacted the Cricket Club, who are now in the process of completing the forms with SES Water to arrange the transfer of the meters for the water and waste. 

To approve the third quarter of the financial year 01 October – 31 December 2024.

Do Members ratify the expenditure report? 

Payments have been made up to the end of December 2024 which are to ratify (item 6.1). Next payments are due at the end of January.

Expenditure over £500 is published on the website under Financial & Transparency. Link Below.

Do Members accept the expenditure over £500 report? 

Do Members receive the the income report? 

Do Members have any questions about the Budget Comparison Report?

Do Members receive the Budget Comparison report?

Do Members have any questions about the I&E Accounts?

Do Members confirm the I&E Accounts summary?

To Note: The Audit return for the Football Foundation Grant has been approved, so the funds in the Earmarked Reserves of £2644.00 will be moved back to General Reserves in the next quarter.  

Do Members have any questions about the Consolidated Balance sheet?

Do Members receive and confirm the above report? 

Do Members have any questions about the Financial Summary Cashbook?

Do Members receive and confirm the Financial Summary Cashbook? 

The Bank Statements and procurement card reconciliations for October, November and December have been checked by Cllr Layland. They are available for Members to view anytime. 

Do Members have any questions about the Bank reconciliations and Procurement Card reconciliations?

Do Members confirm and accept the Bank reconciliations and Procurement Card reconciliations? 

Do Members approve and accept the transfers to and from bank accounts? 

Nothing to report. 

To Note all the Charities Accounts have been submitted to the Charities Commission Website.

A full update will be given at the meeting. 

The Precept request for 2025-26 for £804,054.00, as presented to and supported by Council at its December meeting and after publication over December formally resolved at its Council meeting 20 January 2025. With the tax base figures provided in December, this is a 7.9% increase on a Band D equivalent increase to £12.76 annually. The Precept has been submitted to SDC.

It was noted on the Council Minutes 078/05 item 10.3, that the Finance Committee had considered and increase of 6.75% but there was actually a calculation error and the actual increase should have shown 7.9%. The actual Band D increase is slightly lower then the original prediction of £13.95 per annually.

The Draft Budget press release link is below.

Do members have any questions or comments?

Some projects budgeted for may not have been completed and require the funds to be moved on to the earmarked reserves to ensure they can be completed. A report will be presented at meeting.

Members to note the projects and potential funds from budgets to Earmarked Reserves at the end of the financial year. 

Presented at meeting, a report showing the I&E from the budget comparisons report, a predicted year-end view and the budget for 2025-26.

Do Members have any comments? 

It has been on the agenda for a few years to review and update the communications policies (2018). Working with the communications officer we have been working through the documents to reflect current practice, procedures and to meet Accessibility.  When looking at the existing social media and electronic communications policy it was felt there was some confusion as to what is policy (set of rules and procedures) and strategy (what we are trying to achieve) hence why there are now separate documents. When looking at the communications, it was felt there should also be a style guide which would sit with the council's branding guide, as well as having separate IT and cyber security policy and strategy.

In some cases the documents presented are first drafts so may need some further tweaking. Committee is asked to confirm the documents in principle with any changes to be made with final documents present to council March meeting for adoption.  

Members are asked to confirm the recommendation to council the Digital Communications and Social Media Policy?

Members are asked to confirm the recommendation to council the Digital Communications and Social Media Strategy?

Members are asked to confirm the recommendation to council the Communications and Community Engagement Strategy?

Members are asked to confirm the recommendation to council the Recording and Filming of Council and Committee Meetings Policy?

Members are asked to confirm the recommendation to council  Digital IT and Cyber Security Policy? It is noted that there may be some amendments to the draft to be presented to council March meeting. 

Members are asked to confirm the recommendation to council Digital IT and Cyber Security Security? It is noted that there may be some amendments to the draft to be presented to council March meeting. 

A copy of this is to be forwarded separately to members. The market Ricks Assessment already identifies and has procedures for adverse weather and gazebos. However, it is felt that a policy setting council procedures would provide better guidance and procedures. 

Members are asked to confirm recommendation to council for the Market Gazebos and Structures including in Adverse Weather Policy?

Members are asked to confirm the recommendation to council of a written style guide, with any amendments to the first draft to be suggested to the town clerk with a final draft present to council at its March meeting?

The lease renewal for Eden Valley Museum as tenants of Church House has been being reported to council. The lease negotiation group and the town clerk has reviewed the draft lease renewal and liaised with the council's solicitor over some of the points in the lease. 

Council has raised the question of considering a peppercorn rent. As far as establishing best rental value, the advice received back from the solicitor is that provided Council can show that it has considered all aspects of the letting and not just monetary income (things such as added community value, etc.) then it can show a peppercorn rent and would be considered suitable in this instance. If this was to be considered the Service Level Agreement amount would need to be reduced commensurate. For now, the draft lease has assumed an annual rent based on current rental charges.

Members are asked:

To confirm issuing the draft lease (a clean version of the attached) in its current form so that the EVM trustees can view and consider, and then report back to the Lease Negotiating Group?

To consider proposing a peppercorn rent and to ask the Museum if they would prefer this or to maintain an annual rent?

To confirm if a peppercorn rent is considered, that the SLA agreement grant to be reduced commensurately?

Details of the Forge Musical Theatre (FMT) lease arrangements has been being reported to council since May 2023.  A meeting took place with members from the FMT, Cllr Baker and the town clerk recently and it was agreed to revisit the draft lease to address some of its language and terms, with a new draft to be issued and a follow-up meeting to discuss any questions that may arise. Members of the lease negotiation group will review the versions of the lease from the solicitor. The final draft will be presented to governance committee to confirm.

Do members have any questions?

WorkNest attended on 17 January for another Health and Safety (H&S) audit. The July audit focused on the council's buildings and sites with several recommendations which are working through including legionella assessments for five of the council's buildings. Overall the July audit had no urgent actions and was pleased to see that the H&S standards were good, and that there was a good understanding for H&S requirements. Last week's audit, the clerk had asked for this audit to focus on the council's administration and record keeping which had slipped following new online systems and staff changes. All open spaces monitoring is well maintained with appropriate weekly, monthly and quarterly checks; it is the office monitoring records which has slipped and council buildings monitoring. During the audit time was spent on updating the monitoring forms with more pertinent questions. There is still work to be done on this area and developing monitoring forms for other areas (for example, community warden and market recording moving to online). At the time of this meeting the full audit report is yet to be receieved.

Familiarisation and training has been given to all staff over the past week. Some new monitoring forms are being prepared including for the buildings.  We will now work to ensuring more consistent use of the system. In addition the E-learning portal has several. This is quite a considerable project which requires specific time allocated to it.

Do members have any questions?

February 2020 Keith Robertson was appointed as the internal auditor, initially for one year with a further 3-years if satisfied. Full council confirms the appointment annually as part of its annual contracts confirmation. Both the town clerk and deputy clerk have found Keith to be extremely helpful and has helped to developed improved controls and governance, and recommend the council continue with the current auditor. It is good practice for council to review its internal audit arrangements as a minimum 3-yearly.

Do Members confirm to continue with Keith Robertson as internal auditor for a further 3-years, and recommend to council?