02 November 2021

SUMMONS TO ATTEND A MEETING OF THE POLICY & RESOURCES COMMITTEE

TO: All Members of the Policy & Resources Committee

Cllrs B Austin, D Bretherton (Deputy Chairman), A Dite, D Dodds, M Dyer (Chairman), H Fickling, K Gregory, C Jones, A Midwinter and J Tipping

Ex Officio (Voting) Members – P Cowell (Town Mayor) and N Champken-Woods (Deputy Town Mayor)

To all other Members for information

VENUE: Upper Chamber, Thame Town Hall

DATE: Tuesday 2 November 2021

TIME: 6.30 pm (maximum two hours)

Cassie Pinnells

Acting Town Clerk of the Council

Date: Wednesday 27 October 2021

 

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 Thomas Weston-Davies of Rathbone Brothers plc.

4. Rathbones Presentation – Thame – CMP – 02.11.21 [PDF]

5 Minutes

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on 3 August 2021.

Minutes – 3 August 2021

6 Financial Update

  1. Budget Summary: To monitor actual income and expenditure against estimates.
  2. Balance Sheet: To note balance sheet as of 30 September 2021.

6a. P&R Budgetary schedule to September 2021 [PDF]

6b. Detailed Balance Sheet 30.9.21 [PDF]

7 Financial Overspends

To note the following financial overspends against budget line items (greater than the agreed de minimis of £100 / 5%) have been recorded since the last meeting of the Committee:

  1. Recruitment – Town Clerk £1.6k
  2. Staff structure – James Corrigan £2.3k
  3. Staff job evaluations – James Corrigan £750
  4. Subscriptions – £500 increase on annual OALC membership
  5. Insurance – New Mower, Cricket Club damage excess £1.5k
  6. Neighbourhood Planning Professional Fees – £5.7k
  7. Town Awards £1k
  8. Radar Gun purchase & holiday pay for car park attendants (leavers) £2.2k

8 Investment Update

To note the portfolio summary of the investment performance.

8. Portfolio Performance Summary [PDF]

9 Internal Audit

To receive the First Interim Internal Audit Report 2021-22.

9. Report – Interim Internal Audit [PDF]

9a. Thame TC First Interim Report 2021-22 [PDF]

10 Health & Safety Visit Outcomes

To note the outcomes of the Health & Safety update visit by Ellis Whittam on 3 August 2021.

10. Report – Health and Safety Visit [PDF]

10a. Thame Town Council Policy Manual – August 2021 [PDF]

11 Council Policies

To approve the following updated / reviewed Council Policies:

  1. Emergency Response Plan
  2. Insurance Strategy
  3. Terrorism Policy

11a. Emergency Response Plan [PDF]

11b. Insurance Strategy [PDF]

11c. Terrorism Policy [PDF]

12 Speed Indicator Device

To receive an update.

12. Report – Speed Indicator Device [PDF]

13 Thame Museum

To note work to the glass lantern and roof commenced on 19 October 2021 and is progressing well.

14 Reports from Representatives on External Organisations

To receive reports from the nominated representatives on:

  1. Barns Centre (Cllrs Deacock and Dodds)
  2. Citizens Advice (Cllr Austin)
  3. Health Hub (including Community Hub Pilot) (Cllr Champken-Woods)
  4. NALC (Cllr Dyer)
  5. Red Kite Family Centre (Cllr Emery)
  6. Thame Business Forum (Cllr Dyer)
  7. Thame Senior Friendship Centre (Cllr Midwinter)
  8. Thame & District Housing Association (Cllr Emery)
  9. Thame Youth Memorial Trust (Cllr Tipping)
  10. Thame Youth Projects Group (Cllr Tipping)
  11. 21st Century Thame (Cllr Fickling)
  12. Welfare Trust (Cllr Champken-Woods)

14. Reports – External Organisations [PDF]

14a. Thame Office Information [PDF]

14e. Red Kite Family Centre Report TTC October 2021 [PDF]

15 Staffing Update

To note that Personnel Committee meetings were held on 12 October 2021 and 26 October 2021 at which Grading Levels, Appraisal Outcomes, Staffing Matters and Staffing Costs / Gradings were discussed.

To note that the recruitment of the Town Clerk as agreed at the 13 August 2021 meeting of the Personnel Committee has proceeded to plan with Amanda Sturdy starting full time on 15 November 2021. 

To note that Car Park Attendants David Gander and David Reed last day of employment with Thame Town Council was on 25 August 2021 and 29 October 2021 respectively.

16 Free Use / De Minimis Delegated Authority

To note that the Acting Town Clerk, through Free Use / De Minimis delegated authority, has granted the following:

  1. 4 November 2021 – Wild Pear CIC – Event for organisations to pledge action on climate and biodiversity to each other at the Upper Chamber.
  2. 29 January 2022 – Thame Youth Projects Fundraising at the Upper Chamber.

17 Compliments & Complaints

To note the report for April 2021 to October 2021.

17. Compliments & Complaints 30.09.21 [PDF]

18 For Information

  1. CCTV Half Yearly Report: 1 April 2021 – 31 October 2021. To note that this report will be circulated by e-mail after the meeting when available.
  2. Christmas Closure – To note that the Town Hall will be closed from 12:30pm on Friday 24 December 2021 and will reopen at 9am on Tuesday 4 January 2022. The usual provision of notices / emergency telephone number will continue, and some officers may choose to work on the closure days.