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Minutes of the Meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee held on 16th January 2008
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE HELD ON WEDNESDAY 16TH JANUARY 2008 AT 7.00 P.M. AT THE TOWN HALL, GREAT WESTERN HOUSE, 9 DEVON SQUARE, NEWTON ABBOT
PRESENT Councillor D Corney-Walker (Chairman) Presiding
Councillor Mrs D. Watts (Vice-Chairman)
Councillors Mrs C. Bunday
H.L.J. Cole
C. Davieson
Miss J. Fry
M. Hocking
D. Howe
K.C. Lewis
K. Purchase
A D Vizor
In attendance: Nikki Toms – Sports Development Office – Teignbridge District Council
Kye Forte – BMX Freestyle World Champion
Representatives of the Press: Hannah Taylor – Herald Express
354. APOLOGIES
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Mrs A Fry, Mrs G Gaskell, R Leeper, C Parker, Mrs S Maddicott and K Smith.
355. MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee held on 12th December 2007 were received and signed as correct record subject to the following:-
Minute 316 (a) – REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS NEWTON ABBOT & DISTRICT COMMUNITY PLAN
A letter was tabled referring to this item.
356. INTERESTS
Councillor K C Lewis declared a personal interest in item 6(b) on the agenda – ANY OTHER FINANCIAL MATTERS - In respect of a letter written by Councillor Lewis on behalf of the Newton Abbot & District Community Plan, requesting financial support.
357. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Councillor K C Lewis declared a personal interest in this item but took part in the discussion following this item.
Further to minute 137/7/07 Nikki Toms, Sports Development Officer from Teignbridge District Council, together with Kye Forte, the BMX Freestyle World Champion, referred once more to the ongoing skate park project that was currently in progress and explained that there was a shortfall in the funding required in order to complete the project.
Sport England had pledged £35,000, but only on the proviso that construction started early in the current year..
Funding had already been secured from the following sponsors:
Teignbridge District Council - £50,000
Viridor - £10,000
Youth Council - £15,000
Crime & Disorder Fund - £6,800
Groundworks - £35,000
Devon Playing Fields Association - £1,000
Nikki and Kye explained the benefits of having such a facility in Newton Abbot.
The park would be completely unique; the only one of its kind in the country and it was hoped therefore, that the facility would undoubtedly draw people into Newton Abbot from other areas of the country in order to visit the facility. They explained that if full funding was unable to be secured Sports England would withdraw their offer of funding completely.
Nikki and Kye went on to elucidate that any offer of financial support from the Newton Abbot Town Council would be appreciated and thanked Members for listening to their address.
The Chairman, on behalf of the Council thanked Ms Toms and Mr Forte for their address and explained that Newton Abbot Town Council offered the project its full support and would discuss a suitable figure in a latter part of the meeting.
Ms Toms and Mr Forte thanked the members for their time whereupon they left the meeting.
RESOLVED that an offer of financial support be debated in the latter part of the meeting and then recommended to Council on 30th January 2008.
358. STRATEGIC WORKING PARTY
(a) The report of the meeting held on 7th January 2008 was received and noted.
(b) The Vice-Chairman of the Strategic Working Party gave a presentation to Members of the Committee concerning the deliberations of the Working Party on issues relating to the budget for 2008/9 and the following two financial years, 2009/10 and 2010/11.
The presentation covered the following:
Work of the Strategic Working Party between July 2007 – Jan 2008
Precepts for 2007/8 for other councils In the Devon area in comparison to Newton Abbot Town Council
The Precept history of Newton Abbot Town Council between 2001 to date
Level of reserves as a percentage of the precept between the years 2001 and 2007
The level of reserves that the working party recommends in comparison to that recommended by the Internal Auditor
A table showing the effects on the precept in comparison to the levels of reserves the Council might wish to retain between 16.6% and 25% (£297,467 and £322,256 respectively)
The sum that the Working Party recommended to the Council as the precept for 2008/9 in the sum of £297,467
The financial implications of this precept on the ‘Band D’ council tax payer
Following the presentation Members then asked questions on the following items:
The level of reserves – it was a general consensus to try to increase the level of reserves in relation to the precept over the following 2 financial years; to begin with 20% and include a provision to increase this to 25% by the year 2010/11
The consider taking into account the recent notification regarding the rates at which gas and electricity were due to rise in the forthcoming year – i.e. – around 12.5% as this would impact the level of precept required for 2008/9
That requests for financial support or potential investments for the forthcoming financial year should be seriously considered prior to making a precept recommendation for 2008/9
The Bladon Foundation should be looked upon as a ‘luxury’ and should not be considered when setting the precept for 2008/9. This was only to be used for capital projects.
Clarification on particular budget lines were requested from the Office Administrator
Arising from consideration of the Vice-Chairman’s presentation it was
RESOLVED that a Precept of £307, 382 for 2008/09 be recommended to Full Council on 30th January 2008.
359. FINANCIAL REGULATIONS
Further to minute 328/12/07 the Committee received a recommendation for the Strategic Working Party to adopt minor amendments to the Council’s Financial Regulations and a proposed Investments Policy
RESOLVED that the Council at its meeting to be held on 30th January be recommended to adopt the amended Financial Regulations together with the proposed Investment Policy.
360. ACCOUNTS PAID SINCE THE LAST MEETING
(a) Accounts paid since the last meeting
The Committee noted the accounts together with the balance sheet for the month of December 2007:-
INTERNAL AUDIT
31st December 2007
Opening Balance Business Call Account/Current Acc £130,290.06
ADD Misc. Income £ 2306.03
TOTAL INCOME £132,596.09
LESS:
Expenditure £28,327.09
Start of new fixed term £60,000.00
TOTAL EXPENDITURE £ 88,327.09
BALANCE 31st December 2007
Business Call & Current Account: £ 44,269.00
Balances as at 31st December 2007
Current Account 100.00
Business Call Account 44,169.00
Treasury Account 60,000.00
Petty Cash Account 75.17
Total Reserves £104,344.17
Alliance & Leicester £170,000.00
(Reinvested to 03.06.08– interest accruing £5667.63)
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Total: £274,344.17
(b) Other financial matters
(i) Request for financial support from (Minute 357 refers) Decoy BMX Club towards new skate park construction
Arising from the debate it was proposed that a donation of £10,000.00 be made towards the project.
RESOLVED that it be recommended that a donation of £10,000.00 to the Decoy BMX Skate Bowl project be approved by the Council on 30th January 2008.
(ii) Request for grant from Newton Abbot & District Community Plan – letter from Councillor K C Lewis was tabled at the meeting
RESOLVED that it be recommended to the Council that a sum of £2,000.00 be donated to the Community Plan to facilitate the completion of the Plan..
(iii) The 2007/8 budget overspend by the Environment Services Committee of £3,500.00 arising from payments for footpath works was discussed.. It was proposed that the sum be repaid to the Committee from reserves to be utilised for the purposes of undertaking a survey at the Newton Abbot Town Quay (£2,500.00) and to carry out a thorough clearing of the Newton Abbot Leat that runs along Bradley Lane,
RESOLVED that it be recommend to the Council that £3,500.00 be repaid to the Environment Services Committee from reserves as soon as is practicable.
361. REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS
Councillor Allan Vizor reported that at a recent meeting it was reported that Shopmobility and the Newton Abbot and Teignbridge Community Transport were planning to merge in the near future.
362. CORRESPONDENCE
The Committee noted the following: -
(a) Correspondence from Devon County Council confirming the Council Chamber has received an approved premises licence under The Marriage Act 1994 (Section 1) and The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Section 6) for emergency use only.
(b) Correspondence from Teignbridge District Council regarding changes to the Rates liability of empty and partly occupied properties to take effect from 1st April 2008.
(c) Street Naming and Numbering –
The Committee noted the following: -
The new development at St Marychurch Road has been named 1 -10 inclusive The Sand Martins, St Marychurch Road, Newton Abbot TQ12 4BU as agreed by the Committee under minute 238(b)/10/2008;
The numbering of new property at Haccombe Path as number 22 Haccombe Path, Newton Abbot TQ12 4JB;
That Mapleton House, Mapleton Close is to be now known as Mapleton Community Care Centre, Ashburton Road, Newton Abbot TQ12 1RB;
That Victoria Lodge, Courtenay Road is to be now known as Victoria Lodge, 4ACourtenay Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 1AP.
362. LATE CORRESPONDENCE
Nil.
363. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Wednesday 20th February 2008
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Chairman