NORTH MYMMS PARISH COUNCIL

 

 

Minutes of a MEETING of the FINANCE COMMITTEE held in the Council Office, Annexe to No 1 Bungalow, Bushwood Close, Welham Green on Wednesday, 29 July 2009.

 

PRESENT :               Councillors     W A Storey    Chairman 

                                                             

                                                            C Everard

                                                            P Hastings

                                                            R Horrocks

                                                            K Pieri                                                           

                                                                       

                                    Clerk               Mrs J A Schettino

 

1.         APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 

There were no apologies for absence.

 

2.         MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING

 

It was agreed that the Minutes of a Meeting of the Finance Committee held on Wednesday, 24 June 2009 were a true record of the proceedings and signed by the Chairman.

 

3.         MATTERS ARISING

 

There were no matters arising.

 

4.         ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT

 

A Schedule of Accounts for Payment totalling £11,442.98, inclusive of Imprest expenditure of £236.32 was presented.   After careful consideration of each item, it was agreed that the total amount be recommended to Council for approval and payment in full.

 

5.         STATEMENT OF BALANCES

 

A Statement of Balances dated 21 July 2009 was considered and income of £610.96 was noted.

6.         TRANSFER OF MONIES

 

Approval was given to the Clerks action in transferring £14,000 from the Councils Business Direct Reserve Account to current account as from 27 July 2009

 

7.         ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 

a)     Scribe Report

A Scribe report and bank reconciliation for the first quarter of the financial year 2009/2010 had been circulated for discussion and the actual expenditure against budget was noted.

 

b)     Annual Audit Return

The Annual Audit Return for the year ending 31 March 2009 had been returned with a letter requesting a detailed explanation of variances of Debtors and Creditors and the figure in Box 10 according to the PWLB schedule was incorrect.

 

The Internal Auditor and the Clerk had provided this information and it had been circulated to all members for approval.  The variances were due to late payment of an insurance claim in 2008/2009 and repairs to the irrigation system by SJS in late March 2009.  The figure in box 10 was incorrect because the Clerk had deducted a payment of the principle and interest when it should have been the principle only.

 

It was agreed that these amendments would be recommended to full council for approval.

 

The Parish Council had been advised that the cost of the Intermediate Audit would be £875 plus VAT, with an additional £25 plus VAT for the extra information requested.

 

c) Chairman’s Invitations

 

For the first time an invitation to the Parish Council Chairman had been received that would cost £30 per ticket, proceeds to the Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield’s charity.

 

The North Mymms Parish Council had for over one hundred years prided itself that none of its Councillors or Chairmen had ever claimed expenses.  Nevertheless Councillor Storey said that the members needed to discuss whether or not future Chairmen, as representatives of the Parish Council, should have some sort of expense account to fund this type of invitation.

 

Following a full discussion the members agreed to recommend to council that the custom of past years should be maintained and these and any future costs should be funded personally.

 

d) Quotation for Road Plainnings

 

It was agreed to recommend to council the expenditure of £350 for the delivery of 15 tons of road plainnings for the groundsmen to complete the filling of the pot holes in Gobions car park and for the top path round the lake.

 

e) Play Equipment

 

Councillor Storey said that a second quotation for play equipment at Welham Green had still not arrived and the Clerk was proposing that the quotation from Sutcliffe Play should be used for the purpose of applying for grants and donations to various bodies in the next few weeks towards play equipment at Welham Green and Little Heath.

 

f)  HAPTC Finance Training

 

It was agreed to recommend to full council the expenditure of £25 each for the Clerk and Councillor Horrocks to attend an HAPTC Finance Training course on Wednesday 23 September 2009 at Woolmer Green.

 

g)  Special Arrangements - August Recess

As the Council did not normally meet in August it was agreed that the custom and practice of previous years should apply and accounts due for payment could be authorised and cheques signed by any two Councillors that are available.

 

8.         DATE OF NEXT MEETING

 

The next meeting of the Finance Committee has already been arranged for Wednesday 30 September 2009 commencing at 7.15 pm in the Council Office, Annexe to No 1 Bungalow, Bushwood Close, Welham Green.

 

Meeting Closed 7.43 pm