MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE FINANCE, POLICY AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Held on 26 November 2007

Present: Cllr A Howard (in the Chair)

Cllrs Mrs I Daw Mrs C Lewis P Prince G Richards Mrs M Rolls R B Shields MBE

Town Clerk

In Attendance: Cllrs B Dobbs, S Pratley, E Rolls and Mrs J Taylor

22. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs P Jackson (illness) and
Mrs M Morgan (illness).

23. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Cllrs R B Shields MBE and A Howard declared a personal interest in minute 26 and minute 27 items 10 and 62 due to membership of the District Council.

Cllr A Howard declared a personal interest in minute 26 items 35, 62 and 81 due to his membership of the County Council, item 4 due to his mail order business and item 61 due to being a governor of the primary school.

24. BUSINESS REPORT
This report was deferred to a future meeting due to Mr McDonald not being available and presenting his apologies to the meeting.

25. PUBLIC REALM IMPROVEMENTS
The Committee received a presentation from Mr Robert Frost of East Lindsey District Council on a proposal to improve Sea View car park, Mablethorpe. He explained that a funding opportunity has arisen in the current financial year. It was proposed that works would be completed in two phases, the first by Easter 2008 followed by further works during the following winter. The budget for phase one totalled £285,000 comprising £50,000 from East Lindsey District Council, £65,000 from Lincolnshire County Council and a bid to EMDA for the remaining £170,000.

The works proposed included:
(i) enhancement to the entrance and access road to the car park;
(ii) redevelopment of the toilet block to provide changing rooms and showers;
(iii) provision of hardstanding for disabled parking and/or events;
(iv) improved signage;
(v) provision of a viewing area with telescope and information boards;
(vi) replacing the existing fencing with a post and wire barrier which would be less obtrusive;
(vii) improved access from the car park to the beach;
(viii) introduction of lighting and CCTV to the area.

Mr Frost responded to a number of questions regarding the design of various aspects, colours to be used, health and safety issues and future proposals to extend the improvements to other areas. He undertook to provide members of the Town Council with handouts of the material presented to the Committee.

The Chairman thanked Mr Frost for his presentation.

26. ESTIMATES OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR 2008/09
The Committee considered the draft estimates of income and expenditure for 2008/09 dealing with each section in turn. The following items were considered in detail and dealt with as follows:-

(i) Item 39: War Memorials - agreed that any underspend on the maintenance budget be transferred to the earmarked reserve.

(ii) Items 44 and 76: Community Hall - agreed that the Clerk should clarify the responsibility for expenditure and the annual contribution of £400 to the earmarked reserve.

(iii) Item 59: CAB office - agreed that the budget for 2008/09 be increased to £600.

The above amendment resulted in a net estimated expenditure for 2008/09 of £127,713. The Committee then considered the precept for 2008/09 having regard to the comments of the external auditor in relation to the inadequate level of general reserves. It was therefore proposed, seconded and
Resolved:
(1) That the estimates of income and expenditure, as revised and attached to these minutes, be approved subject to clarification of the items relating to the Community Hall.

(2) That the estimated net surplus of £2,500 in 2008/09 be a contribution to the General Fund.

(3) That any underspend on the War Memorial maintenance budget be transferred to the earmarked reserve for that purpose.

(4) That it is recommended that a precept of £130,213 be levied on East Lindsey District Council for 2008/09 in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

(5) That a risk assessment be undertaken to determine the risk to the Council in relation to the level of General Fund balances.
Note:
Cllr Mrs C Lewis declared a personal and prejudicial interest in item 55 due to business interest and item 48 due to her position on the PCC, although these items were not discussed.

Cllr Mrs M Rolls declared a personal interest in item 64 due to her position on the PCC.

27. GRANTS POLICY
The Committee considered a report from the Grants Policy Working Group on the future arrangements for dealing with grants. It was noted that whilst the policy was aimed at support for local groups and organisations it did provide for grants to individuals being considered in exceptional circumstances.

It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved:
(i) That the Grants Policy and Application Form, as attached to the report, be adopted to be effective for the 2008/09 financial year.
(ii) That from May 2008 a sub-committee be established with responsibility for considering all grant applications and making recommendations to the Finance, Policy and Development Committee.

28. GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS
The Town Clerk reported on a proposal to review a number of areas of the Council’s structure and operation. It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: That the Town Council be recommended to
(i) Establish a working group comprising 5 members to review the Council’s governance arrangements.
(ii) Set the date and time for the first meeting of the Governance Working Group.

29. CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT
The Committee considered a draft contract of employment for the Town Clerk which was based on the model contract of employment produced jointly by the National Association of Local Councils and the Society of Local Council Clerks.

It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: That the contract of employment be approved subject to clarification at paragraph 5.2 that the annual review should be carried out on the anniversary of appointment and to the insertion of a paragraph covering maternity/paternity/
adoption leave.

30. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE TOWN COUNCIL’S OFFICE
The Town Clerk provided an update on the provision and use of information technology in the office. Information was also provided on the proposed future use of the systems including computerised accounting system, electronic transfer of data to HM Revenue and Customs and possible computerised data storage for burial registers, etc.

The report was noted.

31. CLERK’S CORRESPONDENCE
(i) Skate Park – information received from East Lindsey District Council about a grant of £35,000 to develop a purpose built skate park in Mablethorpe.

(ii) Lincolnshire Police Authority – details of consultation on the police precept for 2008/09 to be circulated to all councillors.

(iii) Mablethorpe Area Committee – information about the Area Committee meeting to be held on 28 November 2007 at the Theddlethorpe Village Hall.

32. MATTERS FOR URGENT DISCUSSION
(i) Digital TV – a suggestion that publicity needs to be given to the changeover to digital TV and the possible requirements for new equipment and disposal of old.

(ii) Sand on promenade – information that sand is building up on the promenade, particularly in the Trusthorpe area.