9 April 2019 – 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, M Deacock,
N Dixon, D Dodds, M Dyer (Chairman), H Fickling and P Lambert (Deputy Chairman)

Ex Officio (Voting) Members – A Midwinter (Town Mayor) and L Emery (Deputy Mayor)

To:            All other Members for information

VENUE: Upper Chamber, Thame Town Hall

DATE:     Tuesday 9 April 2019

TIME:      6.30 pm (maximum two hours)

 

Graham Hunt
Clerk of the Council

Date: 3 April 2019

 

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 12 February 2019.

Minutes

5. Financial Update

a) Budget Summary: To monitor actual income and expenditure against estimates.
5a. P&R Budgetary Control to 28.02.19
b) Balance Sheet: To note balance sheet as at 28 February 2019.
5b. Balance Sheet – 28.02.19
c) To note that in line with legislation for precepts of £140,000 or more, a detailed Budget Precept Leaflet for 2019-20 has been produced, published on District and Town Council web sites and widely circulated.
5c. Budget Leaflet 2019-20
d) To note that under Financial Regulation 4.5, the Town Clerk has purchased a replacement laptop plus installation at a total cost of £989 from the Rolling Capital Fund.
e) To note that work is underway on preparing the 2018-19 End of Year accounts.
f) To note that the Office Administration Manager is working on the following contract renewals: Town Hall Security Monitoring; Depot Security Monitoring; Fire Equipment Monitoring; Sanitary / Janitorial provision; Information Centre Till support.
g) To note that £24,591 has been realised from the investment fund to fund the replacement tractor, as agreed as part of 2019-20 budget setting.
h) To note that the broadband service to the Town Hall has been upgraded resulting in quadrupled speed for use in the chamber and on public access computers. A new contract was also negotiated which has led to a cost saving of £100 a year for the new improved service.

6. 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:

a) Given an increase in staff attending conferences / seminars / training / networking meetings, staff travel expenses as at 28/2/19 are currently £198 in excess of the £400 budget.
b) Through an increase in printing / copying, the overall photocopier spend as at 28/4/19 is £205 in excess of the £2,855 total budget.
c) Through an increase in Members attending conferences / seminars / training, Members training spend as at 28/2/19 is £290 in excess of the £500 budget.

All of the above will be covered initially by underspends elsewhere and ultimately from the General Reserve Fund.

7. Investment Update

To note the summary of the investment performance, subject to arrival in time for the meeting. Last year’s summary to end of March arrived on 25/4/17.

8. Internal Audit

To receive the Internal Audit Third Interim Update Report 2018-19 following the audit visit on 13 March 2019.

8. Report – 3rd Interim Internal Audit

8a. Thame TC Third Interim Audit 2018-19

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 (Cllr Austin)
c) Health Hub (including Community Hub Pilot) (Cllr Champken-Woods)
d) NALC (Cllr Dyer)
e) Red Kite Family Centre (Cllrs Emery & Wyse)
f) Thame Business Forum (Cllr Dyer)
g) Thame & District Day Centre (Cllr Midwinter)
h) Thame & District Housing Association (Cllr Butler)
i) Thame Youth Memorial Trust (Cllr Lambert)
j) Thame Youth Projects Group (Cllr Fickling)
k) 21st Century Thame (Cllr Emery and Fickling)
l) Welfare Trust (Cllr Champken-Woods)

9. Reports – External Organisations

10. Fees and Charges

To approve the proposed Schedule of Charges for 2019-20 for the hire of the Meeting Room, the Upper Chamber and Southern Road Recreational Ground.

10. Report – Fees and Charges

11. Insurance Contract

To approve the appointment of an insurance provider for the next three years.

11. Report – Insurance Contract

12. Kebab Van Licence

To consider the renewal of the Kebab Van licence.

12. Report – Kebab Van Licence Renewal

12a. Appendix 1 – Kebab Van Licence 2019-2024

13. Procurement Policy

To review and approve a new Procurement Policy.

13. Report – Procurement Policy

13a. Procurement Policy 09.04.19

14. Member / Officer Protocol

To review and approve the unchanged Member / Officer Protocol.

14. Report – Member Officer Protocol

14a. Member Officer Protocol 09.04.19

15. Driving and Towing at Work Policy

To review and approve the unchanged Driving and Towing at Work Policy.

15. Report – Driving and Towing at Work Policy 09.04.19

15a. Appendix 1 – Driving and Towing at Work Policy 09.04.19

16. Thame Museum Lease Extension

To note that following on from the Council discussion re the potential museum lease extension on 22 January 2019, the Town Clerk met with museum representatives on 4 March 2019 where a variety of potential ways forward were discussed. The Chairman of the museum has subsequently reported that at the Museum Trustees meeting on 11 March 2019, it was decided to concentrate on other things (rather than the museum extension) for the time being, so the need for the lease extension is put on hold.

17. Health & Safety Visit

To note the outcomes of the annual Health & Safety visit by Ellis Whittam 15 February 2019.

17. Report – Health and Safety Visit Outcome

18. Parking Enforcement – 2 Hour On-Street Free Parking

To receive a verbal update from the Town Clerk on various further discussions.

18. Report – Parking Enforcement

19. Free Use / De-Minimis Delegated Authority

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

a) Free use of Town Hall for a Charity Cycling Event on 12/5/19
b) Free use of SRRG for Emergency Services Day on 10/8/19
c) Charity rate for Urban Orienteering event on 1/9/19

To note that the Town Clerk, through De Minimis delegated authority, has allowed Barley Hill School to define the Town Hall as a holding point for school children in the event of a critical incident impacting on the school premises, as is already in place for St Joseph’s School.

20. Staffing Update

a) To note arrangements are in place for three students from Lord Williams’s School to spend a week on work experience placement with the Town Council commencing Monday 8 July 2019.

21. Compliments & Complaints

To note the report.

21. Compliments & Complaints 31.03.19