Wadhurst Parish Council

WADHURST PARISH COUNCIL
THE MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
HELD AT THE PAVILION, SPARROWS GREEN ON THURSDAY 18 OCTOBER 2007 AT 20:00

Present: Councillors Price (Chairman), Doyle, Mrs Pearman, Mrs Monaghan, Standley and Wheeler.
Also in attendance: Clerk.

1. TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES AND REASONS FOR ABSENCE
None.

2. PUBLIC FORUM
None.

3. TO REVIEW CURRENT YEAR EXPENDITURE AND FORECAST TO YEAR END
Current year expenditure reviewed. Forecast to year end adjusted to £125896 against a budget of £129330.

4. TO CONSIDER EARMARKING FUNDS FOR FUTURE PROJECTS
Request from Highway, Transport & Lighting Committee to make a provision of £2500 from current budget towards the future replacement of the conservation lights. Transfers to reserves will be finalised at the end of the financial year.

5. TO CONSIDER GRANT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AND NOTE ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES
Grant applications reviewed and the following recommendations to be made to the full Council

Applicant	Purpose of grant	Suggested amount	Comments
Wadhurst Institute Hall & Field	General	Nil	Surplus funds held by the Trust.
September Arts	To support annual art exhibition	Nil	Now an established exhibition which is self funded.
Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul	Churchyard maintenance	£1500	Financial information reviewed and a deficit in churchyard maintenance noted. The churchyard is open to all denominations.
Rotary Club	Christmas lighting	Nil	£500 grant given last year. Funding expected from alternative sources.
Anchor Staying Put	To support the handyman scheme	£200

6. TO CONSIDER BUDGET 2008/09
Individual committee budgets and income reviewed in detail. Suggested increase use of provisions to cover future expenditure. A total budget of £127654 with an unchanged precept of £105000 to be presented to the full council for consideration.

7. TO NOTE INTERNAL AUDIT REPORT & PLAN AND REVIEW EFFECTIVENSS OF INTERNAL AUDIT
Report of Internal Audit visit 2.10.07 reviewed and comments noted. Resolved to approve the Internal Audit Plan which details the scope of work to be carried out. The Plan is considered appropriate and is risk based.
The effectiveness of Internal Audit was reviewed. The auditor is considered competent to carry out the role and is independent of any Wadhurst Parish Council activities. Regular reports are provided to the council.

8. TO CONSIDER DELEGATION OF LIMITED FINANCIAL POWERS TO THE CLERK
To provide more flexibility in managing day to day activities, it was resolved to recommend a revision to Standing Order no. 30 as follows:

Delegated powers are given to the Clerk to:

Authorise work up to the value of £500 on routine matters within agreed policies and budget; this must be reported to the Chairman of the relevant committee within 48 hours..
In the event of an emergency, to authorise work up to the value of £1000; this must be reported to the Chairman or Vice-Chairman within 48 hours.
Implement non-discretionary adjustments to the Clerk’s pay according to recommendations by NALC and to increase other staff salaries by the same percentage; Chairman of the Personnel Committee to be notified of adjustments.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 22:13.