Minutes of the meeting of the FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE held at 8pm on Wednesday 16th June 2004 , The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue , Radlett.

Present:
Councillor M. Thompson (Chairman)
Councillor Mrs V. Charrett
Councillor Mrs Griffin
Councillor J.A. Howley
Councillor Mrs S.A. Reith
Councillor Mrs E. Wackrow

Officer:
Ms. Carrie Lloyd (Clerk)

1. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN
   
   Councillor Thompson was elected Chairman for the ensuing Municipal Year.
   
   
2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
   
   Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Worthy.
   
   
3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS
   
   Councillor Mrs Griffin declared a personal interest in the item Common Costs with the Radlett Centre Trust as a Member of the Board of Trustees.
   
   
4. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 12TH MAY 2004
   
   The minutes of the meeting held on 12th May 2004 were signed as a true and accurate record.
   
   
5. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 12TH  MAY 2004
   
   1. Land Registry Search – The Clerk advised that the search was in hand. (Action: Clerk)
   
   
6. COMPLAINT BY MR FIELDS
   
   A summary of Mr Fields' complaint and the Clerk's findings were circulated with the agenda for the meeting. The Clerk's conclusions following investigation of the complaint were;
   
   •  The pricing structure for the Youth and Community Centre will be given to every person making a booking in future. Booking forms must be completed and payment received before the Youth and Community Centre is used.
   
   •  It is regretted that Mr Fields did not receive responses to his phone calls. The Council will not tolerate difficult or bullying behaviour by customers, either in person or on the phone. Staff have been advised that, in future, phone calls do not have to be returned if they find a customer's behaviour unacceptable but the matter should be referred to the Clerk to respond in writing.
   
   Members RESOLVED that Mrs Kendrick-Fields bad debt of £135 be written off but she be advised that this may be taken into account should she wish to make any bookings in the future.
   
   
7. PROPERTY PORTFOLIO
   
   •  28 Elm Walk – A tenant had moved into the property on 2 nd June paying £1,150 per month for a year. A fridge and freezer had been purchased to go with the white goods left by the Clerk when she finished her tenancy. It was confirmed that no further items would be purchased for the new tenant.
   
   •  Wellhouse Dell – Registration of Land – Two Members of the Council had signed the documents on the Council's behalf and they had been returned to Mr Watkiss.
   
   •  Registration of Access to Cobden Hill Dell – Nothing further had been heard on this matter.
   
   •  Radlett Gardens/RAIFA Garden – There was nothing further to report on this item at present.
   
   •  War Memorial – The land was now in the ownership of the Council.
   
   
8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND BUDGET REPORT
   
   The financial statements to the end May were noted. Members agreed that they would like the budgets profiled out. Councillor Thompson suggested that an alternative layout may be useful and it was agreed that the profit and loss account produced by Sage would be emailed to him to assist with this.
   
   
9. TO CONSIDER THE COUNCIL'S RESERVES AND INVESTMENTS POLICIES
   
   In accordance with the Financial Regulations, Members RESOLVED that the Council aimed to build reserves of 6 months expenditure.
   
   
10. RECYCLING BINS – NEWBERRIES CAR PARK
    
    A meeting had taken place on site with Members of the Parish Council, Councillor Dr S. Pitfield, the Clerk and Hertsmere Borough Council officers. Councillor Dr S. Pitfield had undertaken to ensure that a report would be put to a meeting of Hertsmere Borough Council for consideration within the next month. The Clerk was requested to report this to Council once a report had been produced. (Action: Clerk)
    
    
11. COMMON COSTS WITH THE RADLETT CENTRE
    
    Mr Watkiss was drafting a letter from the Board of Trustees of the Radlett Centre Trust following a letter received from Cllr Howley. It was agreed that until the letter was received no further discussion would take place on the Common Costs.
    
    Councillor Thompson suggested that in view of the Council's large grant funding to the Trust, Members should be copied into the monthly accounts. Councillor Mrs Griffin, as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, undertook to put his request to the next meeting of the Board. (Action: Councillor Mrs Griffin)
    
    
12. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
    
    The next meeting was scheduled for 8pm on Tuesday 13 July 2004.
    
    
13. RESOLVED that the following items are confidential as defined in the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 and the press and public be excluded from the meeting .
    
    •  Staff Appraisals
    •  Clerk's Appraisal Scheme
    
    
14. STAFF APPRAISALS
    
    The Clerk had carried out Mrs Floate's appraisal which had been copied to the then Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee. The Clerk recommended Mrs Floate for her spinal point increase. Members RESOLVED that Mrs Floate receive her spinal point increase back dated to 1 st April 2004 . (Action: Clerk)
    
    
15. CLERK'S APPRAISAL SCHEME
    
    Members had requested that a Model Appraisal Scheme from NALC or the SLCC be adopted for appraising the Clerk's work. The Clerk had requested such documents from the two bodies for consideration at the meeting of the Committee but only the SLCC had responded in time. The SLCC scheme did not cover the reporting lines during the appraisal which was the main concern of Members.
    
    It was noted that, with different Chairmen on each Committee, the current scheme had become more logical with the exception of the objectives set for the Clerk which should have input from all Members and be circulated to all Members once agreed at the appraisal. (Action: Chairman of the Council)
    

Closure: 9.15pm