• Minutes of Meeting 15th October 2008
• Minutes of Meeting 10th September 2008
• Minutes of Meeting 13th August 2008
• Minutes of Meeting 9th July 2008
• Minutes of Meeting 11th June 2008

Minutes of the Meeting of the Finance and General Purposes

Committee

held on Wednesday 15^th October 2008. 

Present:    Chairman:  Cllr Fred Lewis  

Councillors:  Andy Barnes, Ann Bridges, Simon Bridges, Morgan Nahid, Tony Nicklen & Lorna Read 

In attendance; Colin Hunt, Clerk to the Council.   

The Chairman opened the meeting and welcomed the members of the public.  

The Chair informed the Committee that in view of his recent appointment as Vice Chairman of the Council he will be attending future meetings of the Committee in an ex-officio capacity.  This meant that there would be a vacancy on the Committee and asked for this matter to be referred to the next Full Council.                                                                                                                                                                                             

51.       Apologies     

There were apologies from Cllrs Kim Bonnett & Richard Burt

52.       Declaration of Substitute Members.

There was no declaration substitute members

53.       Declaration of Interests.

There were no declarations of interest at the outset of the meeting.

54.       Minutes of the Previous Meeting.

The minutes for the meeting were accepted and agreed to be a true record at the Full Council meeting on 7^th October 2008.

There were no matters arising         

55.       Public Forum/Questions.

55.1     Mrs Matten of 237 Brighton Road enquired if the money allocated to grant applicants was being spent for the benefit of Lancing residents. The Chair informed Mrs Matten that he understood that this was the case and provisos could be made to the grants to ensure this. The exception was the Samaritans, as due to the confidentiality of the service the same restrictions were not appropriate. 

55.2     Mrs Matten asked if there was a possibility of grant aid towards the Councils larger projects.

The Chair informed Mrs Matten that sources such as the Lottery funds were not open to local Councils. The Chairman however referred to alternative sources of finance such as contributions from ADC or WSCC for certain projects. He gave as an example the possibility of contributions towards providing alternative public toilet facilities on Beach Green. This issue and others would however need to be carefully considered on individual merits if and when schemes such as these were proposed.

There were no other questions from the public    

56.       Accounts for Payment

The Chairman went through the income and expenditure sheets for the month and it was RESOLVED that amounts in the sum of:-

Current Account £25,964.37 and                  

Clerk's Payments A/C £5652.51 be paid and that the income figures be noted.

A list of cheque payments for the month to date was circulated to Members and cheques were signed by the designated signatories in the sum of £9136.02.

57.       Approval of the Councils Cash Balances & Investments.

It was RESOLVED that the cash balances and investments of the Council totalling £279339.50 were a true record.

58.       Correspondence received. 

Grant applications from Lancing and Sompting CAB, Samaritans, WRVS Cars and Companions and 4Sight the West Sussex Association for the blind which would be dealt with under Clerks Reports later in the agenda.

            There was no other correspondence.

59.       Clerks Report(s).                  

59.1     Murphy’s Bar site.

At the A&E Committee meeting on 8^th September (Item 36.4) it was agreed to grant an easement for the area of land encroached by the foundations of the new building. The extent of the encroachment was measured at 1’3” (imperial) or 0.38m, along one side. Approximately 5 square metres of land.

The A&E Committee had requested that the F&GP committee fix an annual rent.

The developers wish to have a long term lease agreement (99 years or longer) and were willing to pay all associated legal costs for this facility.

The item on the agenda advised Members of a commercial rent in this area for comparison purposes. However, the Clerk apologised for overestimating this figure and had quoted freehold values instead of leasehold rents.

In setting the value of this lease consideration was given to the other matters which were likely to forthcoming in relation to the development.

After discussion it was RESOLVED that a 99 year lease be offered to the developers at a yearly rent of £50 (Fifty pounds).

59.2     Applications for Grants.

Letters requesting grant funding had been received from the following organisations:-

·        Lancing and Sompting CAB;

·        Samaritans;

·        WRVS Cars and Companions and;

·        4Sight – West Sussex Association for the blind

Committee was advised that the CAB application had already been agreed in principle and is an annual contribution to the running costs of the organisation.

Committee RESOLVED to grant £1700 to CAB and to increase next years (2009/10) contribution to £2000.

Although members were aware that the fund was originally intended for local groups the fact that no such groups had approached the Council, Members were comfortable with the donations going to larger bodies.

In view that there may be other applications yet to be received from other organisations it was RESOLVED that the Samaritans, WRVS & 4Sight be awarded £200 each with the proviso that WRVS & 4Sight use their grant to benefit local residents.

59.3     Budget 2008/9 & 2009/10

At its last meeting the Finance and General Purposes Committee resolved (Item 39.3) that the Clerk prepares a draft budget in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of this Committee.

The draft budget proposal, based upon zero budget principles, for the remainder of this year and the next full year was attached to the agenda and indicated the options for setting the precept for 2009/10.

Members were reminded that there is only one more meeting of the Committee before Full Council in December where the budget would need to be finalised.

 A summary of the budgets was presented as follows:-

Income in current year 2008/9

·        A slight fall in expected income– Down by 1%.

Income 2009/10

·        Next years income is expected to be similar to this year despite any rises in hire tariffs. This is attributed to the declining usage of the Village Hall although efforts are being made to improve the appearance and facilities of the Hall, which hopefully will stem this trend.

·        There is some doubt whether Partnership 2000 will continue to run events on Beach Green due to the bad weather experienced during Bank Holiday weekends over the past two years. Negotiations are ongoing but failure to agree a further contract will have a significant effect on next year’s income (£20k). It is hoped that offering car boot sales on Beach Green may be a positive factor in negotiations.

·        There may be some additional income derived from the re-tendering of the car parks and new Beach Green kiosk facility once constructed.

·        There has been an enquiry from a circus organiser for a 3 or 4 day show in Lancing next year which would bring a welcomed income (£2k) but this will be dependant upon the Beach Green issue being resolved.

Expenditure this year 2008/9

·        There have been some major and much needed improvements this year which have been accomplished within the current budget

These were listed as:-

o       CCTV in the Village Hall

o       New furniture and a new ceiling in the Jubilee Hall

o       Internal redecoration

o       A new kitchen

o       New IT & support services

o       Increased public indemnity insurance

o       New steam floor cleaning equipment

o       In addition, increased election costs of £10k have also been absorbed into the current budget.

Expenditure 2009/10

·        There may be substantial costs involved with Beach Green. These costs will be better known once the issue is determined but currently there is approximately £106k in reserves. However, the uncertainty regarding this element of the budget will have consequences in 2009/10 and possibly beyond.

·        Currently there are no approved capital projects for next year (2009/10) although there are certain key projects which may be approved by Council before the end of the financial year and therefore require consideration. These were factored into this years budget proposals and are:-

(1)        Beach Green Kiosk – A new building is now required. Although this will be a considerable cost, a significant income is derived from the lease and it makes commercial sense to prioritise this project.

Depending upon the final scheme, reconstruction costs could be as much as £45k albeit for a much improved facility. Ideally the new build would be completed by April 2009 to coincide with the new lease agreement. Excluding external borrowing, to achieve this would require financing within the current budget by drawing on reserves and replacing this through next year’s precept thus maintaining current levels of reserves for the Beach Green project.

(2)        The toilets in the Parish Hall are in need of refurbishment. A sum of £15k has been suggested for this purpose and a report will be presented to the Finance & General Purposes Committee in due course. This project will complete the major internal refurbishment programme of the Village Hall.

• Energy costs are expected to rise although an agreement to buy at a reduced rate for the coming year will effectively save the Council in excess of £2k over the coming year.

Horizon expenditure beyond 2009/10

·        There are three elements of major maintenance works which have been identified and will be required to be undertaken within the next three years. These were:-

o       Re-roofing of the Parish Hall – (£35k)

o       Re-roofing to the Pavilion at Monks Rec Ground (£10k) and;-

o       East Lancing Rec changing rooms

It is considered to be prudent to make a budget provision now by adding sum to the reserves each year for the next three years for expected expenditure in 2012 which was featured in the proposals.

Projected precept scenario:-

Notes   (1) £45k for kiosk proposed to be included in this year’s budget drawn from reserves (currently £106k)

(2) Made up of £15k (Parish Hall Toilets to be undertaken next year), £12k (Parish Hall re-roofing reserve fund), £3.5k (Monks Rec Pavilion re-roofing reserve fund) & £15k (Lancing Rec changing room reserve fund)

(3) Includes a number of major improvements this year (see above expenditure this year 2008/9)

(4) Members may consider a higher or lower precept figure dependant upon the level of reserves expected to be required for major projects such as the Beach Green works.

(5) Once the Beach Green issue is resolved, a strategy of use of reserves will be possible.

It was noted that there may be other unexpected costs between now and the end of year which may need to be drawn from reserves as necessary.

            After discussion it was RESOLVED that:-

1.      A budget for Lancing Festival should be included in next year’s budget in the sum of £1500;

2.      The replacement furniture for the Council Chamber, budgeted for 2009/10, is brought forward to the current year to realise the hiring potential of the room as soon as possible. The existing tables will be offered for sale as there was some expected value;

3.      In view of the decision made at the Amenities and Environment Committee on 13^th October, not to replace the changing room facilities at East Lancing Recreation Ground, the relevant element shall be removed from the budget. However, a similar figure is to be allocated without title to allow for a pending report on a replacement lighting system for the Parish Hall to be considered at the next meeting;

4.      To review the charging and hiring tariffs at the next meeting and:

5.      To receive a second draft budget at the next meeting which provides options for the setting of the precept for 2009/10 and the consequential effects on reserves which will form the basis of a recommendation to Full Council.

 59.4    External Audit

The audited accounts for 2007/8 were satisfactorily completed and a copy of the External Auditors certificate and opinion was circulated.  The Clerk confirmed that the recommendations relating to the assets and risk assessments were being implemented.

The original certificate was held in the Lancing Parish Offices for inspection purposes and the report was being advertised in accordance with Regulation 12 of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003.

Members were informed of two matters:-

(1)  that the Annual Return for the year ending 31^st March 2009 must be approved by the Council by 30^th June 2009, which is earlier than the previous year and

(2) The council had incurred an additional charge of £490 as the Auditors were required to seek legal advice in investigating the concerns of a member of the public in relation to an allegation that the 2007/8 budget may have been unlawful.

Although this matter has been repudiated by the Auditors, the Council was nevertheless required to incur this cost. This cost had been included in the expected out turn budget figures presented to Committee earlier.

After discussion it was RESOLVED to receive a report at a future meeting regarding a possible policy for charging for providing information to satisfy requests received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

            There were no further reports

60.       Any Other Business (Agreed with the Chairman in advance)    

There was no other business.

The Meeting closed at 8.55 pm.                             

LANCING PARISH COUNCIL 

Minutes of the Meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee

held on Wednesday 10^th September 2008.

Present:    Chairman:  Cllr Fred Lewis

Councillors:  Andy Barnes, Patrick Beresford, Simon Bridges, Morgan Nahid, Tony Nicklen & Lorna Read

In attendance; Colin Hunt, Clerk to the Council.       

       41.       Apologies   

There were no apologies received                                                                                                                             

42.       Declaration of Substitute Members.

There were no substitute members declared

43.       Declaration of Interests.

There were no declarations of interest at the outset of the meeting. 

44.       Minutes of the Previous Meeting.

The minutes for the meeting were accepted and agreed to be a true record at the Full Council meeting on 2^nd September 2008.

There were no matters arising          

45.       Public Forum/Questions.

45.1     Mrs Matten of 237 Brighton Road enquired if the Audited accounts for 2007/8 were available. The Chairman advised Mrs Matten that the final figures as presented to the Auditors were in the Lancing Parish Council Annual Report and we were still awaiting the final confirmation which does take several months.  

45.2     Mrs Matten asked if the draft budget for 2009/10 would be available on the LPC web site. The Chairman advised Mrs Matten that the draft budget would be available to the public at the same time it was available to Members. These would be attached to the relevant programme Committee and Full Council agendas as appropriate.  

45.3     Mrs Matten enquired into the cost of the independent legal advice regarding the covenant at Lancing Beach Green and whether there was a budget available for this expenditure. The Chairman estimated the cost at about £200 and that there is an existing budget provision for such matters and the engagement of consultants. 

45.4     Cllr Anne Bridges spoke about the proposed Beach Green Kiosk project which was on the agenda for discussion. She asked the Committee to consider the funding stream so that the project could be delivered before the start of the next season to coincide with the start of the new lease.  

46.       Accounts for Payment  

The Chairman went through the income and expenditure sheets for the month and it was RESOLVED that amounts in the sum of:-

Current Account £25,861.52 and

Clerk's Payments A/C £3,741.45 be paid and that the income figures be noted.

A list of cheque payments for the month to date was circulated to Members and cheques were signed by the designated signatories in the sum of £19,527.06.                                                            

47.       Approval of the Councils Cash Balances & Investments. 

It was RESOLVED that the cash balances and investments of the Council totalling £305,467.16were a true record.  

48.       Correspondence received.   

48.1     A Letter from Brenda Wren, the Treasure of Lancing Country Market concerning the hiring of the Jubilee Hall for the Friday Country Market. 

During the recent refurbishment of the South Hall the Market was temporarily relocated to the Jubilee Hall at no additional cost. The Jubilee Hall had been found to be a better venue for the market but that the cost of the hiring is prohibitive as this was a non profit making concern. The Treasurer had offered a compromise figure of £24 for the hiring of hall which was £11 below the normal hiring rate for charitable organisations.

Although the Committee accepted that this was a valuable community function it was conscious of setting a precedent in varying from the agreed charging policy. 

It was RESOLVED that the chairman of the Council on this occasion would contribute the difference for four weeks hiring (a total of £44) from his Chairman’s allowance. This should be sufficient time to give the market an opportunity to test the viability of continuing to use the Jubilee Hall at the full rate of hire.

48.2     An email inviting Council members to attend two public meetings where plans to provide two new centres for health in Lancing & Sompting would be presented. The meetings would be held on Wednesday 17^th September at the Sompting United Reformed Church on Cokeham Road and the second at the Lancing Parish Hall on Wednesday 25^th September. Both meetings are due to start at 7:30pm.

            There was no other correspondence.

49.       Clerks Report(s).                  

49.1     Beach Green Kiosk.

At the A&E Committee meeting on 8^th September an item on that agenda was discussed regarding the replacement of the Beach Green Kiosk.

Although there was no budget provision within the current budget for these works, Committee understood the need to replace the kiosk but felt it needed more cost details before a decision could be made.

It was RESOLVED:-

(1)  that once the A&E Committee had agreed on the best facility and had this costed this Committee would consider financing the project in consideration of other Council priorities and budget opportunities and : 

(2) to provide funding for professional costs to design and advance the project 

49.2     East Lancing Recreation ground – Capital works 

A budget provision exists of £20k to provide a multiple use games area (MUGA) at the East Lancing Recreation Ground. At the A&E Committee meeting on 8^th September Members chose between the two schemes which were presented.

As this is a specialist contract only two competitive quotations had been obtained although others were being sought.

It was RESOLVED that in the event that no other quotations could be obtained then Financial Regulation 13.1, requiring four quotations for the proposed level of expenditure, is relaxed in this matter. 

49.3     Budgets – 2008/09 & 2009/10

Committee were advised that with six months gone of the financial year it was an appropriate time to review this year’s budget and draft proposals for the 2009/10 budget.

In order to agree financial matters in December it was RESOLVED that the Clerk prepare initial draft proposals in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of this Committee and present those proposals at the next meeting.

            The Clerk advised Committee of two elements of the current budget which were required. These related to CCTV and IT equipment.  The current budget allocations of £100 for each item were totally inadequate.

Quotations have been received for both elements which indicate a cost of £3k for CCTV and £3.5k + £1.5k per year support services. These costs would be absorbed into the current budget from savings identified. Further quotations for the IT solution would be sought before the money is committed.

The outcome of the two elements would be a high security CCTV system which would cover the three internal entrances to the Parish Hall and the rear car park. The IT solution will provide business continuity with off site back up with an internal server with linked computer capabilities. Scanning equipment will also allow Parish documents to stored offsite for security purposes.

The committee accepted the inevitability of CCTV and the need to improve the current IT platform.

There was no need to resolve this matter as the proposed levels of spending was within the delegated powers of the Clerk.

49.4     Financial Regulations

In accordance with Financial Regulation 15.1, some minor revisions to the current Financial Regulations were proposed to update and align them with current best practice. Attached to the agenda were the existing Regulations with the proposed changes highlighted.

It was RESOLVED that the changes to the Financial Regulations be made and that they are publicised accordingly.

            There were no further reports

50.       Any Other Business (Agreed with the Chairman in advance) 

There was no other business

The Meeting closed at 8.38 pm.                           

Minutes of the Meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee

held on Wednesday 13^th August 2008. 

Present:    Chairman:  Cllr Fred Lewis 

Councillors:  Andy Barnes, Patrick Beresford, Simon Bridges, Morgan Nahid & Tony Nicklen 

In attendance; Colin Hunt, Clerk to the Council.

31.       Apologies

             Apologies had been received from Cllr Lorna Read                                                                                                                                                                 

32.       Declaration of Substitute Members. 

There were no substitute members declared    

33.       Declaration of Interests. 

There were no declarations of interest at the outset of the meeting. 

34.       Minutes of the Previous Meeting. 

The minutes for the meeting were accepted and agreed to be a true record. 

There were no matters arising

35.       Public Forum/Questions. 

35.1     Mrs Matten of 237 Brighton Road enquired that if the Boundary Commission’s draft recommendations were accepted would this mean additional costs to the Parish for a by-election. 

            The Chairman advised Mrs Matten that this would not be the case as any changes would not become applicable before the next Parish elections in 2012. In the event that a current Member was unable to continue with their duties as a Parish Councillor for whatever reason then the Council has powers to co-opt members onto the Council without the need for an election. In the past when this has happened the party who’s seat was vacated was offered the seat. 

The Chairman also advised Mrs Matten that the current arrangements for poling in the Manor Ward required two poling stations, North and South of the A27, to be provided. This would remain the same in 2012 and therefore the draft changes would not impact on the costs of future elections. 

35.2     Mrs Matten also expressed her disappointment that the recent Adur County Local Committee (CLC) meeting on the 17^th July was poorly attended by Parish Councillors.

36.       Accounts for Payment  

The Chairman went through the income and expenditure sheets for the month and it was RESOLVED that amounts in the sum of:-

Current Account £10,903.99 and                                                            

Clerk's Payments A/C £10,821.87 be paid and that the income figures be noted. 

A list of cheque payments for the month to date was circulated to Members and cheques were signed by the designated signatories in the sum of £8,513.25.

37.       Approval of the Councils Cash Balances & Investments.

There was an error in transposing the VAT figure from page 461 to the cash balances and Investment sheet. The VAT figure should read £569.66 and not £469.66 as stated.

It was RESOLVED that subject to the VAT figure being £569.66 the cash balances and investments of the Council totalling £317,685.41were a true record.

38.       Correspondence received.

38.1     Copy of a letter sent to Ms Griffiths by ADC regarding a Clean up at Lancing Beach Green on 28^th August.

This would normally have been reported at the Amenities and Environment Committee but due to the timing of the clean up Members were alerted to the event. On behalf of the Council, the Clerk pledged black sacks and collection of the rubbish the following day if ADC are unable to do so themselves.

The event will be between 6pm and 8pm and the local press has been alerted. Ms Griffiths extended an invitation to any Parish Councillors who may wish to help that evening if available.

39.       Clerks Report(s).     

39.1     Members were asked for their views on changing the current timetable of Parish Council meetings by moving the Planning Advisory Committee and Finance and General Purposes Committee meetings, currently held in the second week, to the third week in the month. This would allow for a more balanced work load at committee meetings and allow sufficient time between meetings for the minutes to be written and circulated with outgoing Agendas. 

After discussion it was RESOLVED to amend the committee meeting timetable as proposed. This was also accepted at the previous meeting of the Planning Advisory Committee immediately prior to this meeting.

It was further RESOLVED to seek the Amenities and Environment Committees’ view in moving their Monday meetings to the Wednesdays vacated by the Planning Advisory and Finance and General Purposes Committees. In this way the Parish timetable of meetings would be simplified as Parish meetings, with the exception of Full Council and the first Planning Advisory committee meeting of each month, would fall on Wednesdays.

            There were no further reports

40.       Any Other Business (Agreed with the Chairman in advance)  

40.1     Letter from The Boundary Committee for England was received which details draft recommendations which affect Lancing Parish Council.  The proposals are that the Parish, whilst retaining 16 Councillors will be split into 5 wards. Manor Ward being effectively split into two, North and South.

As the deadline for comments to the draft recommendations is 25^th August this item was included in this agenda for discussion.

Members who do not sit on this Committee were given the opportunity to attend the meeting or submit their views either to the Chair of the Committee or Clerk. 

A map showing the proposed boundaries was on display in the Council Chamber and the full documents were available.

An email was sent to the Boundary Committee expressing the concern that the disproportion of electors in some Wards of the Parish meant that some Parish Councillors represent as much as 50% more electors than others. Information was also requested relating to the proposed number of electors that each Councillor would represent on a Ward basis. At the time of the meeting only a confirmation of receipt of the email was received from the Boundary Committee.

After discussion it was felt that although the splitting of the Manor Ward appeared sensible the concerns of the disproportional representation was a concern and that the issues were perhaps wider than just a single Ward boundary.

It was RESOLVED to make representation to the Boundary Committee and respond to the consultation insofar as the Council are concerned that whilst the draft proposal balances the WSCC Ward boundaries the same issue locally has been overshadowed. There is an urgent need to provide proportional representation in all Wards in the Parish and whether considering Manor Ward in isolation to other Wards is the best way forward for the residents has yet to be fully discussed and determined. In this respect the Council now require an extension of time to fully consider the proposals and options available and make suitable representation to the Boundary Committee.

The Clerk will inform the Boundary Committee of these views before the deadline of 25^th August.

There was no other business.

The Meeting closed at 8.22 pm.                           

LANCING PARISH COUNCIL 

Minutes of the Meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee

held on Wednesday 9^th July 2008.

Present:    Chairman:  Cllr Fred Lewis  

Councillors:  Patrick Beresford, Simon Bridges, Richard Burt, Lorna  Read & Morgan Nahid  

In attendance; Colin Hunt, Clerk to the Council.

21.       Apologies  

Apologies had been received from Cllrs Tony Nicklen & Kim Bonnett                                                                                        

22.       Declaration of Substitute Members.

Cllr Ann Bridges was substituting for Cllr Tony Nicklen.

There were no other substitute members declared

23.       Declaration of Interests.

There were no declarations of interest at the outset of the meeting.

24.       Minutes of the Previous Meeting held on 11^h June 2008.

The minutes for the meeting were accepted and agreed to be a true record by Full Council on the 1^st July 2008. 

There were no matters arising    

25.       Public Forum/Questions.

25.1     Mrs Matten of 237 Brighton Road stated that in the recent edition of the WSCC ‘Connections’ magazine there was reference to an under spend of £0.3M on the youth portfolio. Mrs Matten enquired if representation could be made for part of the money to be allocated to the Boundstone Community college Youth Wing, which was a subject discussed at the last Full Council meeting on 1^st July.

            After discussion it was RESOLVED that the Parish Council will write to WSCC Cllr Clive Williams, who is the local Member of the CLC (County Local Committee), to lobby for help in connection with the Youth Wing.

25.2     Mrs Matten enquired if the costs of the remedial works at Beach Green she requested at the last meeting were available.  The Chairman confirmed the total cost of the remedial works as £3921 which consisted of £1950 for the top soil and £1971 for the fencing.

25.3     Mrs Matten asked when the minutes of the Lancing Parish Meeting held on 29^th May 2008 would be available on the Councils Web site. Mrs Matten was informed that the minutes were available and should be the front page of the meetings page of the web site. 

26.       Accounts for Payment

The Chairman went through the income and expenditure sheets for the month and it was RESOLVED that amounts in the sum of:-

Current Account  £ 17,047.34                       

Clerk's Payments A/c  £9,013.24  be paid and that the income figures be noted.

A list of cheque payments for the month to date was circulated to Members and cheques were signed by the designated signatories in the sum of £6,881.67.

27.       Approval of the Councils Cash Balances & Investments.

It was RESOLVED that the cash balances and investments of the Council totalling £328,199.12 were a true record.

28.       Correspondence received. 

            There was no correspondence.

29.       Clerks Report(s).        

29.1     Review of Insurances

The levels of fidelity and all risks insurances were deemed adequate but the current public liability of £5M was below that of most other local authorities. The cost of the increase in public liability insurance cover from £5M to £10M was estimated to be £1000.

After discussion it was considered inevitable that the levels of insurance have risen over the years and it was RESOLVED that the level of public liability be raised to £10M.

29.2     Employees Liability Certificate of Insurance

Under the Employers Liability (Compulsory Insurance) regulations 1998 clause 4 (4) it is required that the certificate or a copy of the Employees Liability of Insurance is held for at least 40 years.

Copies dating back to 1980 have been found and although files are still being checked it was unlikely any more would be found. It was RESOLVED that the HSE inspectors be made aware of this issue.

29.3     Budget provision for the re-fit of the Jubilee Hall kitchen

A figure of £750 was originally agreed and budgeted to refurbish the Jubilee Hall kitchen in the current financial year. (Full Council minute 85 2007/8 refers) This sum was considered inadequate and additional provision was requested.

After discussion it was RESOLVED that to provide a better facility for users of the hall the budget should be increased to £1500 with a further discretionary sum of up to £1000 to be available if deemed mutually necessary by the Clerk and the Chairman of the Committee. There were no further reports

30.       Any Other Business (Agreed with the Chairman in advance)  

There was no other business.

The Meeting closed at 8.05 pm.                      

 LANCING PARISH COUNCIL

 Minutes of the Meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee

held on Wednesday 11^th June 2008.

 Present:    Chairman of the Council:  Councillor Tony Nicklen.

Councillors:  Andy Barnes, Simon Bridges, Patrick Beresford, Fred Lewis Lorna  Read & Morgan Nahid

 In attendance; Colin Hunt, Clerk & John Roberts, Locum Clerk.         

The Chairman of the Council welcomed the members of the public and opened the meeting. 

The first matter was to elect a Chairman for the Committee. Cllr Pat Beresford proposed Cllr Fred Lewis and Cllr Simon Bridges seconded the motion. 

Cllr Fred Lewis took the Chair.  

The Chairman asked for nominations for Vice Chairman. Cllr Andy Barns was proposed, seconded and accepted the role of Vice Chairman for this committee.                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

01.       Apologies   

Apologies had been received from Cllr Richard Burt, & Kim Bonnett                                                                                                                                                              

02.       Declaration of Substitute Members.

 There were no substitute members declared

03.       Declaration of Interests.

There were no declarations of interest at the outset of the meeting.

 04.       Minutes of the Previous Meeting held on 14^h May 2008.

The minutes were accepted and agreed to be a true record.

There were no matters arising         

 05.       Public Forum/Questions.

(a)        Mrs Matten of 237 Brighton Road stated that the final financial figures for 2007/8 were not on the internet. The Chairman undertook to obtain the end of year figures and provide these at the next meeting.

(b)        Mrs Matten also enquired about the costs of the remedial works at Beach Green that were requested originally through the Amenities and Environment Committee. The Chairman undertook to look into this with the Clerk.

(c)        Mrs Matten also raised the issue of projects requiring expenditure which are agreed at Committees and forwarded for budget consideration to Full Council and subsequently lost. Mrs Matten cited a resolved A&E Committee item which was not included in the forthcoming year’s budget.

It was explained to Mrs Matten that there are a number of proposed projects and other expenditures that are forwarded by the Committees to Full Council for consideration but that after debate these items may not be included in the final budget. Only those that are accepted are included in the forthcoming year’s budget and minuted as such and that those that are rejected for whatever reason are not minuted.

06.       Accounts for Payment

The Chairman went through the income and expenditure sheets for the month and it was RESOLVED that amounts in the sum of:-

 Current Account  £ 33,798.43                     

Clerk's Payments A/c  £9,765.08  be paid and that the income figures be noted.

A list of cheque payments for the month to date was made available to Members and cheques were signed by the designated signatories in the sum of £15,471.77.    

07.       Approval of the Councils Cash Balances & Investments.

The cash balances and investments of the Council were approved as a true record.

08.       Appointment of Internal Auditor for 2008-2009. 

 Due to the resignation of the current service provider it was necessary to appoint an Internal Auditor for 2008-2009. John Roberts, who was the recent Locum Clerk for the Parish and has a wealth of experience in auditing, was unanimously appointed by the Committee to be the Council’s internal auditor for the current financial year. To avoid any possible conflicts of interest it was a stipulation that John Roberts’ duties as Locum Clerk cease forthwith.

 09.       Clerks Report(s).              

 The Clerk presented the completed Annual return for the year ending 31^st March 2008, which was required to be submitted to the Audit Commission no later than 31^st July 2008 to avoid penalties. The form duly completed and certified by the outgoing Internal Auditor was approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman of the Council.

 10.       Any Other Business (Agreed with the Chairman in advance)      

None.

The Meeting closed at 8.15 pm.   

The date of the next meeting is Wednesday 9^th July 2008 at 7:30 pm.

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