7 February 2017 – 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 7 February 2017
TIME: 6.30 pm (maximum two hours)
Graham Hunt
Clerk of the Council
Date: 1 February 2017
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 1 November 2016.
5. Financial Update
a) Budget Summary: To monitor actual income and expenditure against estimates.
b) Balance Sheet: To note balance sheet as at 31 December 2016.
6. Financial Overspends
To note:
a) Subscriptions: Allowance has been made in the 2017-18 budget for our new subscription to the Association of Town and City Management, but our decision to join (in relation to the recruitment of the Market Town Co-Ordinator) was after 2016-17 budget agreement. The additional £495 for 2017 subscription has resulted in a current overspend of this budget line by £362 which will be funded from General Reserves.
7. Investment Update
To note the summary of the investment performance.
8. 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 £200,000 that matured on 6 January 2017 into a new six month deposit maturing on 6 July 2017 at 0.6%. In addition the Council has invested £50,000 in a new nine month Fixed Term Deposit maturing on 6 October 2017 at 0.7%.
9. 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)
9. Reports – External Organisations
10. Internal Audit
To receive the Internal Audit Interim Update Report 2016-17.
Internal Audit Interim Update Report 2016-17
11. External Audit
To note that we have been unofficially informed, via SLCC and NALC news items, that the new Smaller Authorities Audit Appointments (SAAA) Ltd have appointed Moore Stephens as the External Auditor for all Oxfordshire Parishes for the five financial years from 2017/18 to 2021/22.
12. Investment Strategy
To approve the reviewed and updated Investment Strategy.
12. Report – Investment Strategy
13. 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
14. Grant Awards Policy
To approve the reviewed and updated Grant Awards Policy.
To agree that Lighthouse be treated as a separate budget item from 2018-19.
To authorise the Community Services Manager to update guidance and forms to reflect the revised policy.
Grant Awards Policy Draft 25.01.17
15. Business Forum Open Doors Event
To approve free use of the Town Hall kitchen, foyer, toilets via the Upper Chamber, use of the external electrical points and closure of the Lower High Street Car Park on Saturday 1 July 2017.
Report – Business Forum Open Doors Event
16. Disposal of Amenity Land at Pickenfield
To receive a verbal update.
Report – Disposal of Amenity Land at Pickenfield
17. Thame Museum Building Improvement Project
To receive a verbal update.
Report – Thame Museum Building Improvement Project
18. Town Hall Free Use
To note that the Town Clerk, through delegated authority, has granted free use as follows:
a) The meeting room to Thames Valley Police for a community drop-in facility
b) The Upper Chamber to Thames Valley Police for a retail meeting
c) The Upper Chamber to 21st Century Thame for their AGM
d) The Upper Chamber for the wake of an ex-Mayor
e) Reasonable facilities to assist the Rotary Your Change initiative
f) The meeting room for Thame and District Day Centre interviews
19. Great British High Street
To note that Thame was named runner-up in the Small Market Town category of the Great British High Street competition (and that Chris Hurdman was named as a runner-up in the Retail Market Champion category) at the Presentation of the Awards held on Monday 12 December 2016.
20. Upper Chamber Acoustics
Following approaches made to three independent acoustic consultants, one has since provided a quotation (attached) of £1,450 to execute an acoustic survey and provide recommendations for improvement. This may cause the Town Hall Maintenance budget to be exceeded, given £2,670 remaining for the last quarter. To authorise the Asset Manager to proceed with the survey.
Upper Chamber Acoustics Quotation
21. For Information
a) Letter of thanks and copy of accounts from Lighthouse following receipt of granting funding from the Town Council.
b) CCTV Quarterly Update