16 February 2021 – Agenda
SUMMONS TO ATTEND A MEETING OF THE POLICY & RESOURCES COMMITTEE
TO: All Members of the Policy & Resources Committee
Cllrs B Austin, D Bretherton, N Champken-Woods, D Dodds, M Dyer (Chairman), L Emery (Deputy Chairman), H Fickling, S Francis, C Jones, and J Tipping
Ex Officio (Voting) Members – A Midwinter (Town Mayor) and P Cowell (Deputy Mayor)
To all other Members for information
VENUE: This meeting will be held virtually in accordance with The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020.
URL: https://zoom.us/j/598240993
Meeting ID: 598 240 993
Password: Please contact the Town Council to obtain the meeting password, which will be issued around 2 hours before the meeting start time.
You must be on the electoral role to join this meeting. Exceptions will be made for representatives, agents, and authorities.
DATE: Tuesday 16 February 2021
TIME: 6.30 pm (maximum two hours)
Cassie Pinnells
Acting Town Clerk of the Council
Date: Wednesday 10 February 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 Citizens Advice
To receive a presentation from Jon Bright, Director of Citizens Advice Oxfordshire South & Vale on their work in Thame.
3. Citizens Advice Presentation Feb 2021 [PDF]
4 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.
5 Minutes
To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on 3 November 2020.
6 Financial Update
- Budget Summary: To monitor actual income and expenditure against estimates.
- Balance Sheet: To note balance sheet as of 31 December 2020.
- To note that the 12-month fixed term deposit of £100,000 was not renewed in December 2020 with United Trust Bank due to low general reserves. Monies will be reinvested later upon receipt of S106 funds from the TFP project.
- To note a bridging loan of £60k has been made to Thame Sports Club and payment is due back in full Mid-February 2021.
- To note that following a financial review of existing electricity supplier contracts, we have managed to secure a saving of 2.3p per unit with Bulb who provide 100% renewable electricity via solar, wind or hydro. We can expect to see a minimum annual saving of £500-£1000 which is fantastic because our existing provider have increased their unit prices by 11%. Our existing contract with SSE will expire in March and our new electricity provider for Town Hall / Depot / SRRG will be Bulb.
6a. PR Budgetary Figures to 31.12.20 [PDF]
6b. Detailed Balance Sheet December 2020 [PDF]
7 Investment Update
To note the portfolio summary of the investment performance.
7. Portfolio Performance Summary as at 31.12.20 [PDF]
8 Internal Audit
To receive the First Interim Internal Audit Report 2020-21.
8. Report – Internal Audit [PDF]
8a. Internal Audit 2020-21 First Interim [PDF]
9 Reports from Representatives on External Organisations
To receive reports from the nominated representatives on:
- Barns Centre (Cllrs Deacock and Dodds)
- Citizens Advice (Cllr Austin)
- Health Hub (including Community Hub Pilot) (Cllr Champken-Woods)
- NALC (Cllr Dyer)
- Red Kite Family Centre (Cllr Emery)
- Thame Business Forum (Cllr Dyer)
- Thame Senior Friendship Centre (Cllr Midwinter)
- Thame & District Housing Association (Cllr Emery)
- Thame Youth Memorial Trust (Cllr Tipping)
- Thame Youth Projects Group (Cllr Tipping)
- 21st Century Thame (Cllrs Fickling and Francis)
- Welfare Trust (Cllr Champken-Woods)
9. Reports – External Organisations [PDF]
10 Disposal of Amenity Land at Pickenfield
To consider a request from a resident to purchase amenity land at 28 Pickenfield.
10. Report – Land Disposal – 28 Pickenfield [PDF]
10. Appendix 1 – Land Acquisition and Disposal Policy 02.08.16 [PDF]
10. Appendix 2 – Disposal of Public Open Space Land Procedure [PDF]
10. Appendix 3a – Location [PDF]
10.. Appendix 4 – Location Map showing wider area [PDF]
11 Disposal of Amenity Land at Youens Drive
To consider a request from a resident to purchase amenity land at 6 Youens Drive.
11. Report – Land Disposal – 6 Youens Drive [PDF]
11.. Appendix 3 – Request from Resident [PDF]
11. Appendix 4 – Register Plan ON297117 [PDF]
12 Council Policies
To approve the following updated Council Policies:
- IT Policy
- Induction Policy
- Training & Development Policy
- Lone Working Policy
12. Training and Development 08.02.21 [PDF]
12. Lone Working 14.1.2021 [PDF]
13 Information Centre Till
To agree the replacement and purchase of a new till.
13. Report – Information Centre Till [PDF]
14 Covid-19 Business Continuity Strategy and Risk Assessment
To note the Covid-19 Risk Assessment and Disaster Recovery Plan, which Officers are keeping up to date with changes to Government guidance.
14. Covid-19 Risk Assessment [PDF]
14. Disaster Recovery Plan Draft [PDF]
15 Thame Museum
To receive a verbal update.
16 Speed Indicator Device
To note the report.
16. Report – Speed Indicator Device [PDF]
16. Appendix A – Speedwatch Update [PDF]
17 Free Use / De Minimis Delegated Authority
To note that the Acting Town Clerk, through Free Use / De Minimis delegated authority, has granted the following:
- Free Use of Upper Chamber for the History Fair on 20 June 2021.
To note that the Acting Town Clerk, through De Minimis delegated authority, has allowed Churchill Retirement Living, Yeats Lodge to define the Town Hall as a holding point for residents to be collected by relatives in the event of a critical incident impacting on the premises, as is already in place for Sharman Beer Court.
18 For Information
- To note that applications for the Town Council’s 2021-2022 grant scheme will be open from Monday 29 March to Tuesday 4 May 2021.
- To note that the fees and charges for hire of the Town Council’s Meeting Room, the Upper Chamber and Southern Road Recreational Ground, which were last reviewed in April 2019, are currently at a reduced rate in response to Covid-19 restrictions.