Minutes of The Finance & General Purposes Committee held at 8.00 pm on Monday 14th December 2009 in the Corn Exchange Complex, Hungerford

Present:  Cllrs A Buckwell, E Cardwell, G Bullock, R Hudson, J Booth, D Gaines, S Parry,

In attendance: Cllrs P Harries, D Ravenhill, RFO

1. Apologies for absence:  none

2. Declarations of interest:  none

3. Minutes of meeting held on Tuesday 10th November 2009

-  Agreement as true record:  proposed by Cllr Bullock, seconded by Cllr Booth, vote unanimous.

            - Matters Arising: A notice will go on the office door over Christmas with contact numbers for emergencies. A meeting took place to discuss work required at the Triangle Field. £2000 reseeding costs need to be considered as an additional R&A item when setting the precept. Work to be further discussed at R&A.

4. Finance: (sign cheques): The end-December salary cheques and a £50,000 cheque for Monster Play, for part payment of the Skate Park ramps, were signed.

5. Precept 2010/11: The aim is to provide a recommendation to set the precept to be agreed at the next Full Council. Cllr Buckwell forecast expenditure for the rest of this year and anticipated bank balances at 1/4/10. The amount of free reserves within these bank balances was summarised. The total budgeted expenditure for next financial year was provided along with the resultant effect on the reserves with various suggested precept figures. Note was taken of newly calculated sum reflecting seeding of Triangle Field [additional £2000] and for understatement of Sect 106 Funds held [adding £3,000]; both were  taken into account when discussing the recommendation and they will be incorporated in revised figures presented to Full Council when setting the precept. After much discussion it was recommended unanimously by F&GP to take to Full Council the proposal to increase the precept by 1%. Using the figures presented: With no rise to the precept the free reserves would have been depleted by a deficit of £19,090, leaving a balance of free reserves of approximately £6,000; this was considered by some as too tight and could impact badly on the precept in years to come. 

6. Service Awards: Cllr Cardwell proposed proceeding with the quote of no more than £500 received from Merrison Ltd for 100 badges. Cllr Hudson seconded. All in favour.

7. Allotments – After much discussion took place on Cllr Harries' note dated 12th December 2009 circulated to F&GP members: Cllr Buckwell proposed Hungerford Town Council shall absorb Fairfield legal fees and shall write expressing that this is an extra-ordinary decision prompted by, among other relevant factors, the considerable sums absorbed by Sovereign Housing in providing the lease and land. Seconded by Cllr Gaines, all in favour.

Cllr Cardwell proposed Hungerford Town Council recovers the costs of stump grinding from the Council's receipts of rental from Fairfield Allotment Association. Seconded by Cllr Booth. 6 in favour. 1 abstention.

Cllr Gaines proposed Allotment Committee meet and discuss avenues of funding, interest free loans, leases and costings and look into how other councils operate with a view to allotments in general [i.e. not specific to Standen Road]. This is to be actioned as soon as possible. Seconded by Cllr Parry. All in favour.

The terms of loans of small amounts of money should be backed by a written agreement between HTC and the relevant Allotment Association and not require the services of a solicitor. Irrecoverable set-up expenditure, when specifically approved by Council, shall be budgeted and met from F&GP resources. Any future HTC loans would come from the R&A budget the terms of any loans using Council funds and the repayment schedule thereof shall be recommended by R&A for agreement by Council.                                                                          All allotment sites should be assessed individually the relevant decisions shall be taken separately and the funds kept in individual and separate accounts.   

8. Bridge Street War Memorial – Deferred. To be discussed at the next R&A.

9. Risk Assessments – ACTION: RFO and Town Clerk to meet with Cllr Buckwell to discuss.

The meeting closed at 9.25 pm.