16 February 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 (Deputy Chairman), N Champken-Woods, D Dodds, M Dyer (Chairman), H Fickling, C Jones, P Lambert and T Wyse
Ex Officio (Voting) Members – N Dixon (Town Mayor) and L Emery (Deputy Mayor)
To: All other Members for information
VENUE: Upper Chamber, Thame Town Hall
DATE: Tuesday 16 February 2016
TIME: 6.30 pm (maximum two hours)
Graham Hunt
Clerk of the Council
Date: 10 February 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. Minutes
To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on 13 October 2015.
5. Budget Summary
To monitor actual income and expenditure against estimates.
6. Investment Portfolio
a) To receive a verbal report on the draw down of funds from the investment portfolio.
Verbal Report – Draw down of Funds from the Investment Portfolio
b) To note the summary of the investment performance.
7. 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 Summit (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)
Reports – External Organisations
8. Internal Audit
To approve the Internal Audit Interim Update Report 2015-16.
8. Appendix 1 – Internal Audit Interim Update Report 2015-16
9. External Audit
To note that a new sector led body, replacing the Audit Commission is now in existence and that Thame Town Council will use the services of that body to procure future External Audit provision.
10. Investment Strategy
To approve the Investment Strategy.
11. Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy
To adopt the Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy which will minimise the opportunity for fraud and corruption.
Report – Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy
Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy
12. Financial Regulations
To note that NALC have now supplied the required updates to the Model Financial Regulations (on which our Financial Regulations are based) for the new procurement regulations. The Town Council has registered with Contract Finder as legally required and has published two tenders (although both were below the legal limit of £25,000), and so we are already working to the spirit of the new regulations. Formal revision of the Financial Regulations will be prepared either for P&R in April or for the Annual Meeting of the Council in May.
13. Fixed Term Deposits
To note that in line with the Investment Strategy, and specific past resolutions re Treasury Management, that the Council has deposited fixed term funds with Lloyds Bank as follows:
£100,000 9 month deposit maturing 10/10/2016 at 0.85%
£200,000 12 month deposit maturing 09/01/2017 at 1.05%
14. Health and Safety Visit Outcomes
To note the General Risk Assessment Report and the Safety Action Plan.
Report – Health and Safety Visit Outcomes
H&S – General Risk Assessment Report
15. Local Parish Elections Costs 2015
To consider the report on the costs of the election and to approve the over spend.
Report – Local Parish Election Costs 2015
16. Recruitment Costs
Recruitment is underway for the Neighbourhood Plan Continuity Officer. Specialist recruitment advertising is required, given the nature of the job, to attract the widest range of candidates. To note that under Financial Regulation 4.5, the Town Clerk has authorised emergency expenditure of £2,075 in total for recruitment advertising, which is in excess of the available budget of £1,000. The additional spend will be funded from General Reserves.
17. Health and Safety Remedial Works
To approve the expenditure with regard to the remedial works required following the Legionella, Asbestos and Fixed Electrical Wire Test of the Town Hall and Southern Road Recreational Ground (SRRG).
Report – Health and Safety Remedial Works
Asbestos Report Town Hall 25.11.15
Certificates Electrical Wire Test Town Hall 22.01.16
Legionella Report SRRG Revised 23.11.15
Legionella Report Town Hall 23.11.15
18. Town Hall Secondary Glazing
To consider the installation of secondary glazing units to the Meeting Room and Information Centre windows.
Report – Town Hall Secondary Glazing
19. Thame Museum Building Improvement Project
To note the update on the progress of the building improvement project at Thame Museum and to consider a further funding request.
Report – Thame Museum Building Improvement Project
20. Business Forum Open Doors Event
To approve free use of the Town Hall kitchen and foyer, use of the external electrical points and closure of the Lower High Street Car Park on Saturday 9 July 2016.
Report – Business Forum Open Doors Event
21. Depot Maintenance Work
To agree to release funds from the Works Depot Capital Fund to enable essential work to be undertaken at Lupton Road Depot.
Report – Depot Maintenance Work
22. SODC Economic Development Projects
To note the status of various SODC Economic Development Projects proposed for Thame.
Report – SODC Economic Development Projects
23. Swimming Pool Update
To note that solicitors letters were sent to the contractor GLL and Oxfordshire County Council in December, advising them that any outstanding maintenance payments should be settled between them as the payments are not the responsibility of Thame Town Council.
24. Oxfordshire County Council
To note the update on the possible devolution of services from Oxfordshire County Council.
Report – OCC – Devolution of Services
25. Town Hall Closure
To note that the Town Hall will be closed on Thursday 25 February 2016 (with telephones still being answered) to enable a staff visit to the Poppy Factory, in conjunction with Thame Remembers.
26. For Information
a) CCTV Quarterly Update
b) CCTV Management Group – TVP Funding Update