01 November 2016 – Agenda
SUMMONS TO ATTEND A MEETING OF
POLICY & RESOURCES COMMITTEE
TO: All Members of the Policy & Resources Committee
Cllrs B Austin, D Bretherton, D Butler, N Champken-Woods, D Dodds, M Dyer (Chairman), H Fickling, C Jones, P Lambert (Deputy Chairman) and T Wyse
Ex Officio (Voting) Members – L Emery (Town Mayor) and N Dixon (Deputy Mayor)
To: All other Members for information
VENUE: Upper Chamber, Thame Town Hall
DATE: Tuesday 1 November 2016
TIME: 6.30 pm (maximum two hours)
Graham Hunt
Clerk of the Council
Date: 26 October 2016
AGENDA
1. Apologies for Absence
2. Declarations of Interest and Dispensations
To notify of any items that appear in the agenda in which there may be an interest that has not been recorded in the Member’s Register of Interest; and confirmation of any relevant dispensations.
3. Public Participation and Public Questions
To consider applications from members of the public to address the Committee (5 minutes maximum), in respect of any item of business included in the agenda. Applications to speak must have been received by the Town Clerk no later than 5pm on the last working day preceding the meeting.
To consider questions from members of the public (who live, work or run a business in the Parish). Written questions must have been received by the Town Clerk no later than 4pm on the last working day preceding the meeting.
4. Investment Portfolio
To receive an annual report from Rupert Baron and Andrew Hess of Rathbone Brothers plc.
5. Citizens Advice
Given the agreement to separate the Citizen’s Advice grant to a separate budget line, to receive a presentation from Jon Bright, Director of Citizens Advice Oxfordshire South & Vale on their work in Thame.
6. Thame Eco Fair / Thame Food Festival
To note that organisers of these 2017 events were given opportunities to present, partly for budgeting purposes, but both have declined.
7. Minutes
To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on 2 August 2016.
8. Financial Update
a) Budget Summary: To monitor actual income and expenditure against estimates.
b) Balance Sheet: To note balance sheet as at 30 September 2016.
9. Investment Update
To note the summary of the investment performance.
10. Fixed Term Deposits
To note that in line with the Investment Strategy, and specific past resolutions re Treasury Management, that the Council has renewed the £100,000 that matured on 10/10/16 into a new 12 month deposit maturing 23 October 2017 at 1.0%
11. Reports from Representatives on External Organisations
To receive reports from the nominated representatives on:
a) Barns Centre (Cllrs Butler and Dodds)
b) Citizens Advice Bureau (Cllr Austin)
c) Health Hub (Cllr Champken-Woods)
d) NALC (Cllr Dyer)
e) Thame Business Forum (Cllr Dyer)
f) Thame & District Housing Association (Cllr Butler)
g) 21st Century Thame (Cllr Emery and Fickling)
h) Welfare Trust (Cllr Champken-Woods)
12. Internal Audit
To receive the First Interim Internal Audit Report 2016-17.
13. Financial Regulations / Delegations – de minimis
The Town Clerk is often called upon to make swift decisions that involve routine resource allocation that may not have already been specifically approved in a budget. Where there is significant impact, such decisions are deferred to the next convenient Council meeting. There is currently no defined threshold / de minimis for such situations.
To discuss whether to add the following authority to relevant guidance, including Financial Regulations / Delegations: “The Town Clerk is authorised to make routine resourcing decisions, where time impact is less than a day or cost is less than £500, and it is in the public interest to do so, with relevant reporting back at a future Council meeting”.
14. Consultation on Referendum Principles
To note that even though not directly invited to respond, the attached response has been provided to the consultation from Central Government on the proposal to introduce Referendum Principles in relation to precept setting for Town and Parish Councils.
15. Great British High Street
To note that Thame is in the national final 3 in the Small Market Town category of the Great British High Street competition (and that Chris Hurdman has also been named as one of the top 3 in the Retail Market Champion category).
To note that the Town Council is supporting the 21st Century Team in the final drive in their bid to be judged / voted number one in both categories.
To note that the Town Clerk has agreed matched funding of £500 each from the joint SODC / Thame Town Council Economic Development Funding budget of £15,000 / £14,000, towards the costs of the final drive.
16. Charter Market Rent
To consider a request from the Thame Market Traders Co-operative with regard to a possible rent reduction as compensation for the disruption caused by the Highway maintenance of the footpath and drainage improvements in the Upper High Street.
17. Bus Stops – Howland Road
To note that to enable the Howland Road bus stops to come into operation, that the Town Council has taken on responsibility for their insurance and maintenance.
18. Grant Awards Policy
To note that the Community Services Manager has sought input from the Grant Awards Panel with regard to changes need to the Grant Awards Policy. Suggestions for improvement from any Councillor would be welcomed.
19. Lone Working Policy / Risk Assessment
To approve the Lone Working Policy and Lone Working Risk Assessment.
20. Induction and Training & Development Policies
To approve the Induction and Training & Development Policies.
Draft Training & Development Policy
21. Disposal of Amenity Land at Pickenfield
To receive a verbal update.
22. Thame Museum Building Improvement Project
To receive a verbal update.
23. Card Payment Machine
To note that the card payment machine in the Information Centre is now fully operational enabling debit and credit card payments to be made in person or via the telephone at greater convenience for our customers.
24. Compliments & Complaints
To note the report.
25. For Information
a) CCTV Quarterly Update
b) Christmas closure – to note the Town Hall will be closed from 4.30pm on Friday 23 December 2016 and will reopen at 9am on Tuesday 3 January 2017.