January 2024
CLAXBY PARISH COUNCIL FINANCE AND STAFFING COMMITTEE
Minutes of meeting held on 9th January 2024 at 2.30 p.m.
1. Apologies for Absence – Cllr Strong arrived late having previously sent apologies. Cllr Lofthouse took the chair.
2. Declarations of Interest – None
3. To approve minutes of the meeting held on 9th November 2023. Minutes were approved and duly signed as a true record.
4. Chair & Council’s Comments and matters arising from the minutes.
Matters arising:
Item 10
i. Application for playing field Lottery grant made but at the time of today’s meeting allocation not confirmed.
ii. Lincolnshire Wolds application was successful with £1250 (50%) paid into the Parish Council Unity account. Remaining 50% to be paid upon completion of the work in the playing field by the end of February.
iii. CIL will be used to cover part of the playing field work.
5. Parish Council accounts update.
- The RFO presented the current balance in the accounts, plus a projected balance after expected payments to year end.
- Audit and bank reconciliation had been completed by Cllr Lofthouse and was signed as a true record of transactions.
- Invoices were presented and approved for payment. See schedule of payments for January here.
6. Precept. After discussion, in the light of new information from WLDC, it was RESOLVED to recommend to the PC that the increased amount of £6500 (as proposed at the November meeting of the PC) would be requested from the charging authority, the justification for the increase being: i) expected expenses in relation to maintaining the playing field, in particular maintaining the trees which bordered the road ii) Training for Councillors and leaders of projects, in particular the playing field and its equipment. Not to increase the precept would also have meant the Parish Council account did not have a reserve equivalent to the annual precept, as required by the Financial Regulations.
7. Village Hall Accounts and future costs/development. Cllr Lofthouse referred to the 5-year plan already presented, and confirmed that the cost of the continuing work to upgrade the hall (including the addition of an outhouse) would come from the remaining grant money. Annual running costs, such as servicing the stairlift, would come from annual income. Electricity usage was discussed, and it was agreed to review, at the end of the year, how to apportion the cost. This had arisen because the most significant electricity cost had arisen from Parish Council and committee meetings.
8. Village Field: Cllr Pilbrow reported that grants had been obtained and others had been applied for. Imminent work is planned and a letter has been sent to residents informing of this and outlining the work to be done. Click here to read the letter.
9. Purchase of litter bins and dog waste bin. Cllr Strong felt there was a need for bins at the Park Rd exit from Claxby Park but after discussion it was felt there was no urgent need for this provision, and the issue could be raised again if the need arose.
10. Purchase of printer. Cllr Lofthouse presented a paper detailing the relative costs of purchase of printers and cartridges and proposed that the purchase of a printer was not as cost effective as continuing with the current arrangement whereby he would do any necessary printing and charge the PC as per the expenses policy. It was RESOLVED to recommend this proposal to the full PC.
11. Councillor’s Expenses Policy.
- Various updates and suggestions were proposed. Councillor Saywell to make the changes in time for the next Parish Council meeting.
- Councillor Lofthouse submitted expenses for travelling to Council related courses and the cost of printing items such as the village newsletter. It was RESOLVED to pay Councillor Lofthouse the expenses.
12. Agenda items for next meeting.
- Final figures for 23/24
- 3-year plan: Projected expenditure on major projects for 2024 to 2027.
- The next Committee meeting would take place 7 days prior to the next PC meeting.
The meeting closed at 15.40