| ALDENHAM PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes
of the meeting of the FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES
COMMITTEE held at 8pm on Wednesday 11th June 2003 in
Meeting Room 2, The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett.
Present:
Councillor J.A. Howley (Chairman)
Councillor Mrs W.M. Griffin
Councillor Mrs S.A. Reith
Councillor Mrs E.E. Wackrow
Councillor R T A Worthy
Officer:
Ms. Carrie Lloyd (Clerk)
1. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN
Councillor Howley was elected Chairman for the ensuing Municipal Year.
2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Thompson.
3. URGENT LATE ITEM
The Chairman advised of an application for a S137 grant that had been received
from IMPACT (the Radlett Churches Youth Group). It was proposed that this would
be considered as Item 11 on the agenda.
4. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS
There were no declarations of interest by Members.
5. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 16th APRIL 2003
The minutes of the meeting held on 16th April 2003 were signed as a true and
accurate record.
6. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD
ON 16th APRIL 2003
Phillimore Recreation Ground Alarm System – The
Chairman advised that the next meeting of the Radlett Crime Reduction
Group would take place the following week and he would raise the
issue of police response then.
(Action: Chairman)
7. PROPERTY PORTFOLIO
- 28
Elm Walk – Members had noted the advice received
from the National Association of Local Councils. It was recognised
that further legal advice may be necessary to ascertain the
legality of the historical use of the house as tied accommodation
and potential future use of the house. Members requested
that the Clerk pursue the location of the deeds (or a copy
of them) through Land Registry, continue to investigate any
covenants on the gift or sale of the land to the Council
in the 1930s and to approach a local Housing Association
to obtain their view on letting the property as key worker
housing or otherwise.
(Action:
Clerk)
- Wellhouse
Dell – Registration
of Land – The Clerk advised that further evidence of
ownership was required and that the Deputy Clerk had exhausted
all potential sources of proof that could be thought of by
herself and other staff. Members were requested to consider
the appointment of a solicitor and the costs involved against
the potential benefit to the Council if its case could be
proved. Members did not consider it expedient at this point
to incur legal costs and the Chairman undertook to review
the file and to speak to Mr Eastburn, who had greatly assisted
the Council thus far, to formulate a view on the best way
forward. It was suggested that the Chairman should approach
Mr Hathaway directly if it was thought that any benefit could
be derived from this action and to report back to the next
meeting of the Committee. Members requested that the Head
of Grounds Maintenance mark the Council’s boundaries
around the Dell as soon as practicably possible.
(Action:
Chairman / Head of Grounds Maintenance)
- Registration
of Cobden Hill Dell – The
Clerk advised that the Dell had now been registered but the
access into the Dell which had been the Council’s main
reason for registering the land had not been included. The
Clerk was requested to follow this up with Land Registry.
(Action:
Clerk)
8.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND BUDGET REPORT
The financial statements to April 2003 were noted.
Members were requested to review the budget in light of expenditure incurred
on Councillors’ training, Salter’s Field professional fees and
funds set aside for repayment of the interest and loan to Hertsmere Borough
Council.
The Clerk was requested to ascertain why the Miscellaneous budget for Administration
was so near to annual expenditure so early in the fiscal year.
RESOLVED that
(i) Code 5540 be set up for Councillors’ and
staff training and no further action be taken in relation to
Salter’s Field at present.
(ii) A code 4845 be set up for loan interest
repayments with a budget of £1,000 and another code be
set up for principal loan repayments with a budget of £4,000.
(Action: Clerk)
9. TO DECIDE AMOUNT TO BE MOVED TO A CAPITAL RESERVE
ACCOUNT
Members agreed that it may be advisable to move the
Council’s annual reserve to a separate bank account at
the end of the fiscal year. The Clerk was requested to review
the end of year accounts and bring forward a proposal to the
next meeting of the Committee as to how much could be reasonably
put into a longer term investment account.
(Action: Clerk)
10. WEBSITE
Members considered the report of officers. The Working Party of Councillor
Howley, Councillor Mrs Wackrow and the Clerk had met that day. Its recommendation
was that Mr Paul Moloney be requested to design and maintain the Parish Council
website. The cost of this would be £600 plus a monthly maintenance fee
of £10.
The website could be designed within a month.
Members are requested to consider the way forward in funding the creation of
a website as no budget has been allocated to this in the current year.
RESOLVED that Mr Paul Moloney be appointed the
design the Council’s website at a cost of £600 plus £10
per month maintenance fee and this be funded by viring £700
from code 5525 IT Support to a new code for website design and
maintenance.
The Clerk was requested to arrange a meeting with Mr Moloney, Councillor Howley
and Councillor Mrs Wackrow, also, all members would be invited to attend if
they so wished.
(Action: Clerk / Accounts Officer)
11. RADLETT CENTRE TELEPHONE LINES
Members considered the report of officers. Details of
the phone lines paid for by the Parish Council and Radlett Centre
Trust were noted.
A meeting has been arranged for Friday 13th June with Voice Services Ltd a
company recommended by Micromedia for the provision of telecommunication services.
The Clerk was requested to ascertain the exact requirements of Barclays Business
Master and the ADT alarm system with a view to reducing the number of lines
being rented.
(Action: Clerk)
12. APPLICATION FOR S.137 GRANT
Members considered the application from IMPACT and RECOMMENDED
that a grant be paid of £750 and free use be given of the
Council’s facilities.
(Action: Clerk)
13. FOOTPATH MAINTENANCE AND CLEANSING
The Clerk was requested to advise Hertsmere Contract
Services that the footpath from Theobald Street to Newberries
Avenue and Canons Close to Shenley Hill needed cleaning. Footpath
26 from Kitswell Way to Oakridge Avenue also required cleaning
but the matter was being dealt with by Environmental Health and
the Clerk undertook to follow it up with that department.
(Action: Clerk)
14. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting was scheduled for 15th July 2003 at
8pm.
15. EMPLOYEE APPRAISALS
The Clerk advised that the Deputy Clerk’s appraisal
was still outstanding and a full report would be made to the
next meeting of the Committee.
(Action: Clerk)
Closure:
10:30pm
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