ALDENHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting of the FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE held at 8pm on Wednesday 10th March 2004 , The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue , Radlett.

Present:
Councillor J.A. Howley (Chairman)
Councillor Mrs V. Charrett
Councillor Mrs S.A. Reith
Councillor M. Thompson
Councillor Mrs E. Wackrow
Officer:
Ms. Carrie Lloyd (Clerk)

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Mrs Griffin and Councillor Worthy

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS

There were none

3. URGENT LATE ITEMS

The Chairman advised of two urgent late items;

• Radlett Youth and Community Centre – approval of budget overspend.
  Approval of a transfer from reserves of approximately £600 was required to fund emergency works to the boiler and radiators.

• 2004/05 s.137 Grant approval to Radlett Rotary for the Festival. Recommendation was required to Council at the end of March, if approved, so that the grant could be paid to Rotary on 1 st April.

4. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 9 th February 2004

The minutes of the meeting held on 9 th February 2004 were signed as a true and accurate record.

5. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 9 th february 2004

• Photocopier Quotations – The Clerk had sent a letter to the Radlett Horticultural Society extending the offer to their organisation.

• IT Maintenance Quotations – The Clerk had not yet overcome the problem of over-writing tapes to enable use of the task scheduler, but the back up was being untaken manually. (Action: Clerk)

• Radlett Centre Shared Costs – It was anticipated that this would be discussed at the next meeting of the Council.

• Financial Statements and Budget Report – The Clerk circulated some figures and advised that the reason for the large difference year on year under 6400 - Recreation Grounds Utilities was mainly due to a credit of £563.85 in 2002/03 on the water rates and an expenditure of £818.29 in one quarter on water rates for 2003/04. The high usage in 2003/04 was attributable to the long dry summer and an underground water leak which was not detected until September. Members noted that the budget for 2004/05 was at least £1,000 less than the actual figure would be for that year and that remedial action would probably be needed.

6. PROPERTY PORTFOLIO

• 28 Elm Walk – The Clerk advised that she would definitely be vacating the property before 31 st March 2004 and the Council’s letting agents (Vigor and Co.) had been requested to seek a tenant after that date on a commercial rental income.
  It was noted that some water penetration in three bedrooms required remedying but four different builders had suggested four different remedies. Mr Reith had advised that at some time in the past the front and flank walls had been lined internally with plaster / cement board to create a cavity or air space indicating that damp had been prevalent for some considerable time. He had suggested that as well as ensuring that the guttering was not leaking onto the wall, a colourless masonry paint or waterproofing compound be applied to the render to see what effect this had. Alternatively, the wall could be drilled and injected with a proprietary compound that would make it impervious. This would have to be carried out by specialists. A further approach would be to remove the render and replace with new render containing a waterproofing additive and finished to match the existing. Member RESOLVED that the Clerk obtain quotations from builders for this work and, following consultation with the Chairman, engage a firm to carry out remedial works. (Action: Clerk)
  
  
• Wellhouse Dell – Registration of Land – Mr Watkiss was still negotiating on behalf of the Council. The Council would be kept informed as negotiations progressed.
  
  
• Registration of Access to Cobden Hill Dell – Mr Watkiss had been engaged to advise the Council in this matter and had confirmed that his fees would remain the same as quoted for his work on Wellhouse Dell (£175 per hour excluding VAT), although his firm had recently increased his hourly rate to £185 per hour excluding VAT. Mr Watkiss had been briefed by the Clerk and was now acting on behalf of the Council.
  
  
• Radlett Gardens/RAIFA Garden – Some information about a lighting scheme had been received but required detailed analysis by Cllr Mrs Charrett. Members noted that Councillor Mrs Charrett was still fully engaged with the Radlett Festival until after 13 th June.

• War Memorial – The Clerk and Chairman had to sign and complete the transfer of the land now that the papers had been received. The Chairman advised that the next step would be to decide a use for the site.

7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND BUDGET REPORT

The financial statements to the end February 2004 were noted.

Members were requested to consider whether or not they wished to see the budgets profiled out in 2004/05. As the Accounts Officer had received further training in Sage, it had been suggested that she might be able to tailor some reports to assist Members. The Accounts Officer had requested Members’ views on what data would be useful to them. Members advised that they did not wish to see the budgets profiled out and that the positive and negative elements in the budget reports caused confusion. It was suggested that Councillor Deem might be able to provide a simplified way forward for Members, the Chairman undertook to discuss the matter with Councillor Deem. (Action: Chairman)

The Council’s internal auditor had given his advice regarding treatment of the invoice from Hertfordshire County Council for the Youth and Community Centre insurance. This stated that in strict accounting terms, once expenditure had been incurred (i.e. as soon as goods were delivered or a service provided), the receiving body should account for that expense in the year in which the expenditure actually occurred, irrespective of when it was invoiced. The Council should have made provision for the insurance expenditure in each of the three year's Accounts for which it was payable to ensure compliance with the basic accounting principle of prudence. In view of this, it would not be reasonable to defer inclusion of the expense until 2004-05 when it had been precepted for. The Council should now charge the expenditure in 2003-04 and, if necessary meet the cost from reserves for that year and to readjust the level of reserves accordingly in future.

Members RESOLVED to pay the invoice of £3,978 from reserves in 2003/04 and to transfer £3,978 from the budget for code 7720 to reserves in 2004/05. (Action: Accounts Officer)

Members were advised that NALC had produced new Model Financial Regulations. Members would be requested to consider the Council’s Regulations for approval by the Council at the end of March. (Action: Clerk)

8. RECYCLING BINS – NEWBERRIES CAR PARK

No further progress had been made on this item. The Clerk was requested to keep pressing for a meeting. The Chairman advised that a meeting with the Head of Planning, Transportation and Building Control at Hertsmere Borough Council regarding the charges in Newberries Car Park was still outstanding. It was agreed that both items should remain on the Finance and General Purposes Committee agenda. (Action: Clerk)

9. Radlett Youth and Community Centre – approval of budget overspend

Members were advised of work that was required to the boiler and radiators at the Youth and Community Centre. Whilst a plumber was available to carry out the work it was deemed essential that it was not postponed to the next financial year. Members RESOLVED that £700 be transferred from the Reserves Account to expenditure code 7710 to cover the cost of the work and in 2004/05 to transfer £700 from the budget for code 7710 to reserves.

10. s.137 Grant approval to Radlett Rotary for the RADLETT Festival

Councillor Mrs Charrett advised of a request from Radlett Rotary Club to pump prime the Radlett Festival. It was suggested that the alternative way forward was for the Council’s own Festival Budget to be used through the Official Order and invoice payment system, in the same way it had been used for the Jubilee Celebrations. Councillor Mrs Charrett undertook to discuss this with the Festival’s Treasurer. RECOMMENDED that if the Festival’s Treasurer considers it the most appropriate way forward, a grant of £1,000 be made to Radlett Rotary Club for the pump priming of the Radlett Festival.

11. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting was scheduled for 8pm on 14 th April 2004

Closure: 9pm