Agenda and draft minutes

Finance & General Purposes Committee - Thursday, 23rd November 2023 7.00 pm

Venue: The Manor House, Old Town Street, Dawlish, EX7 9AP

Contact: Town Clerk  Email: townclerk@dawlish.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

196.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillors Graham- Ellis, Heath, and L. Petherick.

 

Resolved that the apologies be noted.

197.

Agreement of the Agenda between Parts I and II

Minutes:

Resolved that the agenda between Parts I and II be agreed to.

198.

Declarations of Interest

To declare any disclosable interests relating to the forthcoming items of business (if any).

Minutes:

Councillor J. Petherick advised that he was previously a trustee for Assist Teignbridge for 12 years and had previously left the room when Assist Teignbridge had applied for grants. However, as he was no longer a trustee, he advised that this year he would be discussing and voting on this item.

199.

Dispensations

To receive and consider requests for dispensation (if any).

Minutes:

There were no dispensations.

200.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 191 KB

To approve and sign the minutes of the Finance & General Purposes Committee held on 19th October 2023.

Minutes:

 

Members considered the minutes of the Finance & General Purposes Committee held on19th October 2023.

 

Resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 19th October 2023be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct and accurate record.

 

201.

Cost of Living Crisis

To consider what actions, if any, the Town Council can take in relation to the cost of living crisis, at this time.

Minutes:

There was no update.

202.

Community Grant Scheme 2023-2024 pdf icon PDF 93 KB

To review and note the Community Grant Budget 2023-2024 to date.

Minutes:

Members reviewed the Community Grant Scheme budget 2023-2024 to date.

 

Resolved unanimously that the Community Grant Scheme budget be noted.

 

It was suggested by a member of the Committee that agenda items 9 and 10 be taken before agenda item 8 to allow for public participation.

 

Resolved that agenda items 9 and 10 would be considered before agenda item 8.

203.

Smaller Grant Application- Dawlish Choral Society pdf icon PDF 582 KB

To consider a small grant application from Dawlish Choral Society for £200.00

Minutes:

Resolved that the small grant application would be deferred to Full Council for consideration after the Full council had considered whether to further fund the Community Grant Scheme.

204.

Larger Grant Application - Assist Teignbridge pdf icon PDF 4 MB

To consider a large grant application from Assist teignbridge for £5000.00.

Minutes:

At this juncture, the Committee agreed to suspend Standing Orders to enable the public to address the meeting.

 

There was one member of the public that wanted to speak regarding the larger grant application for Assist Teignbridge. They explained what the grant was for and answered further questions from the Councillors.

 

Standing Orders were reinstated upon completion of public participation time.

 

The Committee discussed the application and then a further question arose for the applicant.

 

At this juncture, the Committee agreed to suspend Standing Orders to enable the public to address the meeting.

 

The member of the public answered the further question.

 

Standing Orders were reinstated upon completion of public participation time.

 

The Committee had further discussion on the application and a further question came up regarding volunteer training.

 

At this juncture, the Committee agreed to suspend Standing Orders to enable the public to address the meeting.

 

The member of the public answered the further question.

 

Standing Orders were reinstated upon completion of public participation time.

 

A proposal was made to offer a reduced amount, this wasn’t seconded. A second proposal was made to offer the full amount.

 

Resolved with three votes for, 2 votes against and 2 abstentions that the larger grant application of £5000.00 to Assist Teignbridge be approved.

205.

Larger Grant Application - East Teignbridge Community Transport Association pdf icon PDF 860 KB

To consider a large grant application from Dawlish Community Transport for £5000.00.

Minutes:

At this juncture, the Committee agreed to suspend Standing Orders to enable the public to address the meeting.

 

There was one member of the public that wanted to speak regarding the larger grant application for Assist Teignbridge. They explained what the grant was for and answered further questions from the Councillors.

 

Standing Orders were reinstated upon completion of public participation time.

 

Resolved that the larger grant application of £5000.00 to East Teignbridge Community Transport Association be approved.

 

The Committee further resolved that;

·         The terms and conditions of the grant scheme will be reconsidered in a future meeting

·         That the Committee would like to recommend to Full council that in light of the exceptional circumstances this year that the Full Council consider contributing a sum of money from the general reserves to Dawlish Community Transport to help with the purchase of replacement buses.

·         To recommend to Full Council to consider closing the Large grant scheme but consider viring a sum of money from the reserves to continue to offer the small grant scheme until the end of the financial year.

206.

Dawlish Lawn Tennis Club Grant Feedback Form pdf icon PDF 220 KB

Minutes:

The Committee reviewed the Community Grant feedback form received from Dawlish Lawn tennis Club.

 

Resolved that the feedback form be noted with appreciation.

207.

Bank Reconciliations

To note that the Bank Reconciliation Signatory has checked and agreed the reconciliations for the months June - October 2023.

 

Minutes:

The Chair advised that the Committee’s representative had confirmed that the reconciliations for June 2023- October 2023 had been duly agreed and signed as an accurate record. The Chair passed his thanks on to Councillor Graham- Ellis for getting the bank reconciliation verifications up to date.

 

Resolved that the update be noted.

 

208.

RBS Year End Close Down pdf icon PDF 124 KB

To consider and decide whether to discontinue using the remote year end close down service provided by Rialtas.

Minutes:

Resolved that the year end close down service offered by Rialtas would not be used at the end of this financial year.

209.

Invoices for Payment, Direct Debits and Income pdf icon PDF 593 KB

To receive, consider and approve the reports for invoices paid, direct debits paid, and income received for October 2023.

Minutes:

Councillor Dawson declared that she was part of one of the organisations that had made a payment, however, this didn’t stop her discussing the item.

 

Members present received and considered the report of invoices paid, direct debits and income received since the last report to the Committee.

 

It was discussed that the Covid Shop receipts would be discussed further as to whether the Council should be involved in taking repayments.

 

It was also discussed that a cashback option be looked into for purchases made through Amazon.

 

Resolved unanimously that the reports be approved.

210.

Exclusion of the Press & Public

The Committee is recommended to approve the following resolution:

 

 

“That in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting for the duration of the following items on the basis that the information to be disclosed would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.”

 

Minutes:

Members resolved the following resolution:

 

That in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting for the duration of the following items on the basis that the information to be disclosed would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.

 

211.

Debtors Aged Account Balances

To review and note any outstanding debtors over a time period of two months or more.

The Committee is recommended to agree to receive this report quarterly going forward.

 

Minutes:

Members received the Debtors Aged Account Balances and considered whether any further action needed to be taken at this time..

 

Resolved that the debtors Aged Account Balances be noted and that the reports to received quarterly going forward unless there is anything out of the ordinary that would require the committees attention earlier.