30 July 2019 – Agenda
SUMMONS TO ATTEND A MEETING OF
POLICY & RESOURCES COMMITTEE
TO: All Members of the Policy & Resources Committee
Cllrs B Austin, D Bretherton, N Champken-Woods, D Dodds,
M Dyer (Chairman), L Emery (Deputy Chairman), H Fickling, S Francis, C Jones and J Tipping
Ex Officio (Voting) Members – A Midwinter (Town Mayor) and P Cowell (Deputy Mayor)
To: All other Members for information
VENUE: Upper Chamber, Thame Town Hall
DATE: Tuesday 30 July 2019
TIME: 6.30 pm (maximum two hours)
Graham Hunt
Clerk of the Council
Date: 24 July 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 approve the Minutes of the Committee Meetings held on 9 April 2019 and 14 May 2019.
5 Financial Update
a) Budget Summary: To monitor actual income and expenditure against estimates.
5a. P&R Budgetary Control to 30.06.19
b) Balance Sheet: To note balance sheet as at 30 June 2019.
c) To note that Moore Stephens have acknowledged our submission of the 2018-19 End of Year accounts for external audit.
d) To note that under Financial Regulation 4.5, the Town Clerk authorised the purchase of 10 new iPads for the new administration, with set-up and covers, at a total cost of £3,550 from the Rolling Capital Fund.
e) To note that under Financial Regulation 4.5, the Town Clerk authorised the purchase of an emergency replacement firewall at a cost of £1,195 from the Rolling Capital Fund.
f) To note that under Financial Regulation 4.5, the Town Clerk authorised an agency replacement maintenance worker at a cost of up to £3,500 from General Reserves.
g) To note that under Financial Regulation 4.5, the Town Clerk authorised additional overtime for Christmas Lights retendering at a cost of up to £1,000 from General Reserves.
h) To note that the Office Administration Manager has switched gas suppliers from E.ON to Bulb as agreed at the Climate Emergency follow-up meeting and created a new Environmental Reserve.
i) To note that revised capital / interest repayment schedules have been supplied to Chinnor RFC following their decision to continue their monthly repayment amount at the same level, for their three community loans, rather than taking the opportunity to reduce repayments.
j) To note that under Financial Regulation 4.5, the Town Clerk has authorised a £500 contribution from the Localism Reserve towards the £965.91 total cost of new directional signage for St Joseph’s Church and School.
k) To note that under Financial Regulation 4.5, the Town Clerk has authorised a £500 contribution from the Localism Reserve towards the estimated £715 total cost of 10 temporary free standing “Think Before You Park” signs, being commissioned by the Thame Neighbourhood Team of Thames Valley Police, as part of the campaign against engine idling / illegal parking / inconsiderate parking outside Thame Schools at pick-up time, starting with Ludsden Grove.
l) To note that as at 30/6/19, there are no financial overspends against budget line items to report (greater than the agreed de minimis of £100 / 5%).
6 Investment Update
To note the summary of the investment performance.
6. Portfolio Performance Summary
7 Reports from Representatives on External Organisations
To receive reports from the nominated representatives on:
a) Barns Centre (Cllrs Deacock 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 (Cllr Emery)
f) Thame Business Forum (Cllr Dyer)
g) Thame & District Day Centre (Cllr Midwinter)
h) Thame & District Housing Association (Cllr Emery)
i) Thame Youth Memorial Trust (Cllr Tipping)
j) Thame Youth Projects Group (Cllr Tipping)
k) 21st Century Thame (Cllr Fickling and Francis)
l) Welfare Trust (Cllr Champken-Woods)
7. Reports – External Organisations
8 Health & Safety Visit Outcomes
To note the outcomes of the Health & Safety update visit by Ellis Whittam on 26 June 2019.
8. Report – Health & Safety Update
9 Council Safety Policies
To consider proposed changes to the following four safety related policies:
9. Report – Council Safety Policies
a) First Aid at Work
9a. First Aid at Work Policy 30-07-19
b) Health & Safety
9b. Health and Safety Policy 30-07-19
c) Fire Safety
9c. Fire Safety Policy 30-07-19
d) Fire Safety Management
9d. Fire Safety Management Policy 30-07-19
10 Tree Management Policy
To consider proposed changes to the Tree Management Policy.
10. Report – Tree Managment Policy 30.07.19
10a. Tree Management Policy 30-07-19
11 Flag Flying Policy
To consider proposed changes to the Flag Flying Policy.
11. Report – Flag Flying Policy
11a. Flag Flying Policy 30-07-19
12 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 power for Fire Station Treadmill Challenge on 26/4/19
b) Free use of Upper Chamber for Art Crawl 10-17/5/19
c) Free use of Town Hall for Big Bike Ride on 12/5/19
d) Free use of Upper Chamber for PCSO Di Jackson leaving event on 24/5/19
e) Free use of SRRG for a summer solstice yoga session on 21/6/19
f) Free use of Town Hall in relation to Thame Town Music Festival – July 2019
g) Free use of Upper Chamber for Electric Blanket Testing on 7/10/19
h) Charity rate for Urban Orienteering event on 1/9/19
i) Repeat permission for guides / scouts to overnight camp at SRRG
j) Free use of Town Hall for Twin Town Association
k) Ongoing free use of Town Hall for Various Green Living Plan meetings / events
l) Free use of Town Hall for Taste of Thame event on 30/5/20
To note that the Town Clerk, through De Minimis delegated authority, has allowed Sharman Beer Court to define the Town Hall as a holding point in the event of a critical incident impacting on their premises.
13 Staffing Update
To note that a Personnel Committee meeting was held on 9 July 2019 at which Long Service Awards, Asset Manager replacement and Town Clerk replacement were discussed and next steps agreed.
As reported in the Maintenance Report to the Community, Leisure and Recreation Committee, to note that following an accident at work resulting in injury to one of the Maintenance Team that a temporary replacement has been employed to cover. The injured party has now returned to work.
14 For Information
a) CCTV Half Yearly Report: 1 Oct 2018 – 31 Mar 2019.
14a. CCTV Q3-Q4 2018-19 Report
b) Summary of Insurance Schedule 2019-20.
14b. Insurance schedule 2019-20
c) Various letters of thanks in relation to Grant Awards.
d) Rejection of two Town Hall charity profile lighting requests.
e) SODC is progressing a consultation on taxi rank provision in Thame.