Finance and General Purposes Committee 21st March 2011

Wheatley Parish Council

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 21st March 2011 IN THE PARISH OFFICE AT 7.30PM

PRESENT: Councillors:  G Birks (Chairman), S Coleridge, R Old, J Reilly, R Bell, P Devlin, M Fyffe, J Carr

& E Stacey

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. There were no such declarations

  1. 142. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – None

  1. 143. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING held on 21st February 2011, which had been  circulated  previously  were signed as a correct and accurate record
  1. 144. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None

  1. 145. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES  21st February 2011
    1. i. Minute 125(ii) – section 106 funding for Pedestrian Safety Measures (Brookes University)

Cllr Reilly  reported that the results of the Student Questionaire on Parking at the Wheatley campus had been reported at eh last residents’ meeting. (See copies of the Residents’ Meeting)

ii.    Minute 130 – Help with 2011 Census Form. It was Agreed not to provide a ‘help’ session.

  1. 146. TO REPORT PROGRESS RE REFURBISHMENT OF CULLUM ROAD RECREATION GROUND

Cllrs reported that the area was ‘bedding down’ nicely and looking much better. The recently planted hedge was also doing well. The clerk reported that following an e-mail from the contractors that the final ’snagging’ had been completed the last tranche of money had been paid.

Cllr Fyffe reported that The ‘Playbuilder’ and ‘Aiming High’ funds were still requiring information from her which she would provide. The Chairman thanked her for her hard work in this project.

  1. 147. TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED YOUTH SHELTER IN CHURCH ROAD RECREATION GROUND

The District Council had awarded a grant of £2,980 (30%of the expected cost) but there were a number of provisos. The most pressing of which were to provide evidence of consultation with young people, residents and the police and to obtain a further quote.

It was Agreed to undertake those consultations and the committee was asked to think how to best  go about these consultations for discussion at the April F&GP meeting.

  1. 148. TO CONSIDER THE OCC CONSULTATION DOCUMENT – Revised Household Waste Recycling Centre Strategy for Oxfordshire. This matter had been referred to the Committee from full council. It was Agreed that the Parish Council’s view should be that whilst welcoming the fact that Redbridge Recycling Centre would remain open to the public at the weekend and Bank Holidays they ask that the centre is open for at least one weekday to avoid overcrowding and obstruction. This would be of benefit to the elderly and those that have to work weekends.

  1. 149. TO CONSIDER A RESPONSE TO OCC’S PROPOSAL THAT THE WHEATLEY YOUTH CENTRE IS DELIVERED THROUGH A COMMUNITY LED AND FUNDED APPROACH

The Parish Council had received an e-mail form the County Council re the likely closure of the Wheatley Youth Centre and asking for consideration of delivering the youth provision in Wheatley through a community led approach in line with the ‘Big Society’ philosophy.

District Councillor Carr and County Councillor Purse had been to a meeting at the Youth Centre with officers of the  County Council to discuss the matter. A number of organisations had expressed an interest in the premises and there was to be a follow up meeting later in the week. They had been informed that political or religious groups would not be allowed to claim funding under the ‘Big Society’.

This matter to be discussed at the next F&GP meeting.

  1. 150. CLERK UPDATE

i) Hatching at Littleworth – the markings showing the stretch of land as a walkway had now been completed

ii) Littleworth Allotments – further clearance needed to be undertaken. An estimate of £600 had been obtained. It was Agreed to go ahead

  1. 151. TO CONSIDER A REQUEST TO JOIN ‘SAVE OXFORDSHIRE LIBRARIES’

Although the County Council Library in Wheatley was not one of those threatened with closure it was felt that Parish Council should support this campaign

  1. 152. GRANTS, LICENCES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

i) Fusion Youth & Community UK – St George’s Day Community Festival – sponsor hire of a  climbing wall (last year £150) – AGREED

153. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

i)   Scrutiny of budget to end of February and signing of completed copy of reconciled bank statement by Chairman & RFO – COMPLETED

ii) Balances

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

21ST March  2011 was as follows:                 Community      £7,474.03

Tracker           £51,110.22

Treasury         £60,058.15

SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS TO BE AUTHORISED

Cheque no. Payee Payment details Amount
Cheques paid
105276-280 GM/SW/JF/OCC/HMR&C Feb wages/pen/PAYE/NICs 2,892.30
105282 St Mary the Virgin Church Grant aid- burial ground 500.00
105283 Sue Ryder Nettlebed Hospice Grant Aid 25.00
105284 OCC Grant Aid – Ox Bus Ed Alliance 150.00
d/d Orange Home Internet 17.99
Total £2,585.29
Cheques to Pay
d/d Public Works Loan Board Loan repayment 483.47
105285 Berinsfield Community Business Grass verge contract 553.80
105286 DMH Solutions Ltd LCRS Win 7 Update (Risk Ass) 33.83
105287 Acculine Ltd Littleworth marking 462.00
105288 Thames Water Memorial gardens 6.93
GM/SW/JF/OCC/HMR&C Feb wages/pen/PAYE/NICs 3,000.00
Total £4,410.03

INCOME RECEIVED SINCE LAST MEETING

Income details Amount
Newsletter Advertising 827.00
Total £468.00

  1. 154. PUBLICATIONS & CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED NOTED

i)       The Haseleys – Newsletter March 2011*

ii)       Wheatley URC Newsletter March 2011*

iii)        Little Milton Newsletter March 2011*

iv)       Great Milton Bulletin March 2011*

v)       TVP – Wheatley Neighbourhood Team – March newsletter*

vi)       SODC Minutes of Standards Committee 10.03.11*

*On display in Parish Office

  1. 155. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – 18th April 2011– NOTED

  1. 156. RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC

Cllr Devin proposed and Cllr Reilly seconded that:

“Under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded on the grounds that   it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph X of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act, namely private contractual and employment matters”

AGREED Nem con

The Meeting closed at 9.05 following the Confidential business

Wheatley Parish Council

MINUTES OF THE CONFIDENTIAL SESSION OF THE FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 21st MARCH 2011 IN THE PARISH OFFICE AT 7.30PM

PRESENT: Councillors:  G Birks (Chairman), S Coleridge, R Old, J Reilly, J Carr, R Bell, P Devlin

& E Stacey

OFFICER THE CLERK: Gareth Morris

156. RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC

Cllr Devlin proposed and Cllr Reilly seconded that “Under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded on the grounds that   it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph X of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act, namely private contractual and employment matters”

Agreed nem con

157.  TO CONSIDER THE EDITORSHIP OF THE WHEATLEY NEWSLETTER AND  CONFLICT OF  INTERESTS

This item had been placed on the agenda by Cllr Carr. She had done so because of the recent literature delivered to residents around the village on behalf of the Wheatley Society. She saw the content as an attack on the Parish Council. As one of the main protagonists behind the leaflet was also the Editor of the Newsletter she felt that there could be a conflict of interests and that guidelines should be drawn up to ensure impartiality in the content of the newsletter.

A full discussion of the issue then took place. It was proposed by Cllr Carr and seconded by Cllr Reilly that:

i) Cllrs Devlin and Birks draw up guidelines to ensure impartiality in the content of the  newsletter and

ii) The Clerk write to the editor explaining the process.

This was AGREED

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