25 March 2025 – Agenda

SUMMONS TO ATTEND A MEETING

TO: All Members of the Corporate Governance Committee

Cllrs D Bretherton (Deputy Chairman), P Cowell, A Dite, M Dyer (Chairman), D Dodds, S McGarry, H Richards and P Swan.

Ex Officio (Voting) Members – A Gilbert (Town Mayor) and D Dawson (Deputy Mayor)

To all other Members for information

You are hereby summoned to attend a meeting of the Corporate Governance Committee on Tuesday 25 March 2025 at 6:30pm (maximum two hours) in the Upper Chamber (Thame Town Hall) for the transaction of business as set out on the attached agenda.

Mandy Sturdy
Clerk of the Council

Date: Wednesday 19 March 2025

AGENDA

1) Apologies for Absence

To receive, note and agree 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 on 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) Citizens Advice

To receive a presentation from Citizens Advice Oxfordshire South & Vale on their work in Thame.

4. Citizens Advice Thame impact in 2024_25 [PDF]

5) Minutes

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on 17 December 2024.

Minutes – 17 December 2024

6) Financial Update

Budget Summary: To monitor actual income and expenditure against estimates as at 28 February 2025.
Balance Sheet: To note balance sheet as at 28 February 2025.
Earmarked Reserves: To note the earmarked reserves as at 5 March 2025.

6a. Corporate Governance Budget Figures 28.02.2025 [PDF]

6b. Detailed Balance Sheet 28.02.2025 [PDF]

6c. Earmarked Reserves 05.03.2025 [PDF]

7) Financial Overspends

To receive a report of the financial overspends against budget line items (greater than the agreed de minimis of £100 / 5%) which have been recorded since the last meeting.

7. report financial overspends [PDF]

8) Investment Update

To note the summary of the investment performance.

8. Portfolio Performance Summary 31.12.2024 [PDF]

9) Town Hall Utilisation (including Free Use / De Minimis Delegated Authority)

To receive and note the report of the utilisation of the Town Hall (including Free Use 2024-25 and equivalent cost granted by the Town Clerk through Free Use / De Minimis delegated authority).

9a. Upper Chamber and Meeting Room Utilisation Comparison [PDF]

9b. Free Use of Facilities 2024 – 25 [PDF]

10) Utilities Update

To note the utilities report.
To note that the SSE contract for gas supply to Town Hall & Depot expires 31 March 2025 and after full market comparison we will be switching to ‘SmartestEnergy’ on a fixed 3-year contract from 1^st April 2025. This will save us £1340 per year (£4020 savings over the 3-year contract). The new supplier will offer same services as SSE and supply 100% renewable energy to ‘green’ driven businesses looking to progress their journey to net zero emissions.

10a. Report – Utility Analysis – Graphs – March 2025 [PDF]

11) Formal Complaint

To note a Complaints Panel was convened to escalate and consider a formal complaint received of confidential nature. The Complaints Panel agreed with the initial response to the complaint and that no further action was required.