06-20-23 G&F MINS

 

MINUTES OF THE LOUTH TOWN COUNCIL GOVERNANCE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
HELD IN THE OLD COURT ROOM, THE SESSIONS HOUSE, LOUTH
ON TUESDAY 20^th JUNE 2023

 

Present                                             Councillor J. Simmons (JS) (in the chair).

 

Councillors:       Mrs. E. Ballard (EB), M.R. Barnes (MRB), L.M. Cooney (LMC), Mrs. S. Crew (SC), J. Drake (JD), L. Frost (LF), D. Hobson (DH), G.E. Horton (GEH), M. Lamb (ML). Mrs. J. Makinson-Sanders (JMS) and P. Starsmore (PS).

Councillors not present: J. Baskett (JB) and H. Filer (HF).

 

The Town Clerk, Mrs. L.M. Phillips, the Town Clerk’s Assistant, Miss S. Chitauro, East Lindsey District Councillors D. Hall and R. Jackson and three members of the public were also present.

Public Forum

 

• Ros Jackson, District Councillor for Trinity Ward, gave an update from East Lindsey District Council (ELDC). She confirmed that District Councillors each have grants of £2000 available for potential community projects and that District Councillors can also match fund for community projects in some cases.  She mentioned that the Kingfisher Caravan Park was not meeting its targets which would have an impact on the Council’s overall finances, and that ELDC are trying to investigate the issue.  She said that ELDC will be scrutinising Magna Vitae and it was also considering scrutiny of its public toilet facilities, investigating the buildings rather than hygiene and cleanliness.  She stated that there would be a £5 million cultural investment which would be Skegness based.  LTC might need to bear these things in mind when setting its precept.  She noted that the planning documents for Northfields were now available to view on the ELDC Planning Portal, and finished by saying that the Navigation Trust would be conducting work on Ticklepenny Lock in August.
• Election of Governance and Finance Committee Chairman
  It was RESOLVED that Cllr. Mrs. EB should be elected as Chairman to hold office until 2024. Mrs. EB took the Chair.
• Election of Governance and Finance Committee Vice Chairman
  It was RESOLVED that Cllr. LF should be elected as Vice Chairman to hold office until 2024.

 

• Apologies for Absence
  Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs. JB and HF.

 

• Declarations of Interest / Dispensations
  Mrs. JMS – Agenda item 6 as a member of Hubbard’s Hills Trust.
• Minutes
  It was RESOLVED that the notes of the Governance and Finance Committee meeting held 2^nd May 2023 be approved as the minutes.
• Finance
  It was RESOLVED to note/approve/authorise the following:
  1. Receipts and Payments – Cashbooks 1 and 2 – Month 12
     104. Cash Book 1 Receipts           £3,104.53                   Payments                      £29,265.25
     105. Cash Book 2 Receipts                 £0.00                   Payments                      £       63.00                    
  2. Detailed Income and Expenditure Report (Budget Variance Report) as at Month 12 to 31^st March 2023.
  3. Earmarked Reserves Report as at 31^st March 2023.
  4. Cashbook 1 and 2 Bank Reconciliations which reconciled to account statements showing balances as follows:
     450. Lloyds Treasurers Account (balance on statement 76) – £369,450.88
     451. Petty Cash (balance as at 31^st March 2023) – £155.49

• Lloyds Deposit Account (balance on statement 7 as at 31^st March 2023) – £166,652.51

438. National Savings and Investment Account (balance on statement 10 as at 31^st March 2023 – £111,438.22

• Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) 2022/23
  1. The Council received the Balance Sheet for the year ended 31^st March 2023 and it was RESOLVED to recommend to the Town Council that it approve it and that it be signed by the Chairman and Responsible Financial Officer.
  2. It was RESOLVED to recommend to the Town Council that the Annual Governance Statement (Section 1 of
     the AGAR) for the financial year 2022/23 be completed by the placement of ticks in all boxes except number 9 where n/a should be placed and that the chairman and the Town Clerk should sign it.
  3. It was RESOLVED to recommend to the Town Council that the Accounting Statements (Section 2 of the AGAR) for the financial year 2022/23 be signed by the Chairman.
  4. It was noted that the period for the exercise of public rights must include the first 10 working days of July,
     must be at least 30 consecutive working days long, must commence as soon as reasonably possible after
     approval of the AGAR and with this in mind, recommend to the Town Council that the period for the exercise
     of public rights should be set from Thursday 22^nd June to Wednesday 2^nd August 2023.
• Review of Notices, Policies and Procedures
  The Committee noted that the following had been reviewed and it was RESOLVED to approve them for continued use:

1. a) Cemetery Privacy Notice.
2. b) Staff and Councillor Privacy Notice.
3. c) Email Contact Privacy Notice.
4. d) General Privacy Notice.
5. e) Remote Meeting Privacy Notice.
6. f) Data Protection Policy.
7. g) Information Security Incident Policy.
8. h) Subject Access Requests Policy.
9. i) Removable Media Policy.
10. j) Retention of Documents Policy.
11. k) Secure Disposal of Information Policy.
12. l) Publication Scheme.
13. m) Policy on Handling of Freedom of Information Requests.
14. n) LTC Vehicle Usage and Driving at Work Policy.
15. o) Members Allowance Policy.

 

• Working Group
  It was RESOLVED that the Financial Overview Group (FOG) be re-established as a working group to the Committee, with its remit to: oversee financial transactions of Louth Town Council; make recommendations to the Council regarding the appointment of internal and external auditors; assess and make recommendations to GF Committee regarding applications for grants; to review standing orders, financial regulations, internal controls and insurance requirements and; to ensure that the statement of assurance on Annual Report can be approved by the Full Council was approved, and that its membership should consist of: Cllrs. Mrs. EB (Chair), LF (Vice Chair), JD, PS, ML, HF and the Town Clerk.

 

• Next Meeting
  It was noted that the next meeting of the Governance and Finance Committee was scheduled to take place on 8^th August 2023.

 

 

 

The Meeting Closed at 7.25pm.

 

 

Signed_______________________ (Chairman)                Dated________________________