Finance and General Purposes Committee 17th September 2012

Wheatley Parish Council

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 17^th SEPTEMBER 2012 IN THE PARISH OFFICE AT 7.30PM

PRESENT: Councillors: J Reilly (in the Chair), S Coleridge, E Bailey, E Stacey, G Birks (up to 8.50Pm), J Anderson          & R Bell

OFFICER THE CLERK: Gareth Morris

MEMBERS HAD BEEN REMINDED BY MEANS OF THE AGENDA THAT IF THEY   HAD AN INTEREST TO DECLARE IN ANY AGENDA ITEM, THEY SHOULD DO SO IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING IN THE BOOK PROVIDED FOR THIS PURPOSE

The Committee had met first of all at Cullum Road Recreation Ground to discuss the replacement of the sandpit. It was suggested that some of the sand might be spread over the grass to improve the quality and that Freecycle might be used to dispose of it. Suggestions for replacement equipment included concrete table tennis tables or ‘adult’ keep fit equipment.

34.   APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE had been received from Cllrs Carr & Old

35.   DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – NONE

36.  MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING HELD 20^th August 2012 which had been circulated previously were signed as a correct and accurate record

37.  UPDATE ON ITEMS FROM THE MINUTES 20^th August  2012

(i) Minute 20(i) – Bollards on north side of Church Road

(ii) Minute 20(ii) – 2011-12 Final Accounts – External Audit by BDO was now complete. No outstanding issues had been identified. The Annual return had been posted on the noticeboard and BDO’s report would be presented to the next Parish Council meeting.

(iii) Minute 22 – reply from OCC Highways re gully clearing – OCC have a programme of work and  would ‘only return if they are blocked’

Councillors are asked to check the gullies, note their location and inform the clerk.

(iv) Minute 23 – Footway around the Roundhouse. OCC Highways had requested the £7,000 payment straight away. Agreed to send the payment.

(v) Minute 26 – Request from Village Archives to use Parish Council wi-fi. The clerk had made some enquiries and had found out that the Parish Council was still had wifi though the new computer was hard wired into the phone socket. He would continue to make enquiries into security etc.

38. TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON PROGRESS ON THE PARISH COUNCIL’S PROJECT TO PROVIDE TWO EVENINGS YOUTH PROVISION AT THE YOUTH CENTRE

Cllr Stacey said that the first meeting of the Parish Council’s Advisory Group would take place on Tuesday 25^th September.

Invitation to attend Maple Tree Children’s Centre Advisory Group – 9.30am on Friday 5th October.

Cllr Coleridge said she would be able to attend.

39.  CONSIDERATION OF DISTRIBUTION OF THE 1,154, UNDER THE SODC’S CORE STRATEGY

Meeting at SODC’s offices on Thursday 20^th September at 6pm – three representatives invited

Cllrs Lamont and Reilly agreed to attend

40.  TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING THE 2013-2014 BUDGET.

The Clerk suggested that the committee begin to consider expenditure for next financial year. Are there any specific items of expenditure that should be considered? It was agreed that the grass cutting contracts should be looked at. In the meantime the clerk to ask BCB to pick up the grass cuttings after the next cut of the cut of the recreation grounds etc.

41.  CLERK UPDATE

i) The Audit Commission have appointed BDO LLP as External Auditor for 2012-2013 – NOTED

ii)  OCC Highways Open Day 15^th September + salt bags – NOTED

42.  GRANTS, LICENCES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS – NONE

43.  FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

a) The  budget to end of August 2012 was presented & the reconciled bank statement was signed by the Chairman & RFO

b) Balances

After the cheques below had been paid the balances on the council’s accounts as at

17^th September 2012 was as follows:                                    Community        £2,555.01

Tracker                         £87,099.55

Treasury           £60,386.02

44.                            SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS AUTHORISED

INCOME RECEIVED SINCE LAST MEETING

45.  PUBLICATIONS & CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED

i)        The Haseleys – Newsletter September 2012*

ii)        Little Milton Newsletter September 2012*

iii)        Great Milton Bulletin September  2012*

iv)        Holton, Waterperry & Waterstock News – August 2012*

v)        URC Newsletter September 2012*

vi)        Clerks and Councils Direct September 2012*

vii)        Oxford Rural Housing Partnership – Affordable Rural Housing Conference

viii)        Wednesday 26^th September 2012 – Marcham – 9.30am-12.15pm

ix)        E-mail from resident re installation of gate across Muddy Lane.

The clerk to find out the address of the person who has erected the gate and ask them to remove it.

* On display in Parish Office

46.  DATE OF NEXT MEETING – 15^th October 2012 – NOTED

The meeting closed at 9.10pm