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ALDENHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting of the FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE held at 8pm on 11 October 2005 The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett.

Present:
Councillor Howley (Chairman for the meeting)
Councillor Mrs Charrett
Councillor Worthy

Officer: Ms. Carrie Lloyd (Clerk)

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Thompson, Councillor Mrs Griffin and Councillor Mrs Wackrow

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillor Worthy declared a personal interest in the item Radlett Centre Financial Report, as a Member of the Board of Trustees.

3. URGENT LATE ITEM

The Chairman advised that he had agreed to consider an urgent late item;

(i) Recharge for re-siting of the permanent goal post, Phillimore Recreation Ground

The reason for urgency was;

(i) To enable to work to progress as soon as possible.

4. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 14 September 2005

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 September 2005 were signed as a true and accurate record.

5. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 14 September 2005

(i) 28 Elm Walk – The Clerk would be discussing the lease with Vigor's shortly.

(Action: Clerk)

(ii) Radlett Nursery and Infant School – The new lease would be progressed once the site survey had been carried out.

(Action: Clerk)

(iii) Overdue Invoice – Mr A. Pomerance – The invoice had been paid without any action being required.

(iv) Purchase of a Fire Safe – The Clerk was gathering quotes from the various options listed by Members.

(Action: Clerk)

(v) Truck for the Recreation Ground – As the Megatruck had a Kubota engine, the Head of Grounds Maintenance had asked Browns (tractor suppliers) if they could supply a truck and provide details of servicing etc. When more information was known the Clerk would report back to Committee.

(Action: Clerk)

6. PROPERTY PORTFOLIO

(i) Tabard Rugby Football Club, King George's Playing Field, Radlett – Members noted that the new lease was near completion and that the Council's solicitors had advised that the Rugby Clubs fees would be £1,599 plus VAT and the Council's fees would be £865 plus VAT and disbursements of £4.00.

(Action: Clerk)

(ii)War Memorial, Watling Street – The Clerk had resubmitted the Council's appeal against the fixed penalty to the Inland Revenue as it appeared that they had lost the original.

(Action: Clerk)

(iii) Youth & Community Centre – Members considered the report of the Environmental Health Officer regarding the kitchen and toilets and a quotation to replace the kitchen units, sink and hob.

Members expressed disappointment that such a report should be received from Environmental Health however it was recognised that the damp penetration in the toilet walls made cleaning them difficult and the dilapidated state of the kitchen units did not portray an area of utmost cleanliness.

It was suggested that remedial work could be undertaken to the toilet walls to render them suitable for regular daily cleaning and this work could be carried out during half term week.

Members requested that two further estimates be obtained so that the quotation for the replacement kitchen could be compared to them. It was suggested that a fitted hob, oven and extractor fan were not essential items and that a stand alone cooker was more than adequate. Members also requested that the Head of Grounds Maintenance consider repairing the kitchen or whether or not the Grounds Staff could replace it during the half term holiday and report his findings to the Deputy Clerk.

As an interim measure, Members requested that Environmental Health be advised that more time may be needed to enable further quotations to be obtained.

(Action: Deputy Clerk)

Members requested that the Clerk and Chairman of the Youth and Community Centre Committee report back on the long-term viability of the Centre in due course.

(Action: Clerk and Cllr Mrs Charrett)

(iv) King George V Playing Fields – The Clerk advised that a surveyor had visited the site with a view to providing maps capable of being logged with Land Registry. His quotation was awaited.

(Action: Clerk)

(v) Cobden Hill Dell – The Clerk advised that the Council's solicitor for the transfer had confirmed that the Transfer duly executed from the Transferors' Solicitors had been received. Once the Transferors' Solicitors' fees had been settled by the council she could complete the transfer. Payment of £881.25 had been made by the Council and completion would take place once the Council's cheque had cleared.

(vi) The Picnic Field – Following PC Chittenden's presentation to Council, Members were requested to consider the disposal of the Picnic Field by way of licence or lease for a youth diversion project. Members were not averse to developing a youth diversion project on the site but were keen to see the outcome of discussions with the Local Planning Authority regarding Planning Permission and feedback from public consultation through the setting up of a working group by PC Chittenden, before progressing down the legal route. The Council would be willing to appoint a representative to the Working Group but it would not be a Working Group of the Council.

(Action: Clerk)

7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND BUDGET REPORT

The financial statements to the end of September were noted.

8. FINANCIAL REPORT FROM THE RADLETT CENTRE TRUST

Members had noted the financial details circulated. Councillor Worthy, as a Member of the Board of Trustees, explained two graphs, one relating to sales the other to overheads which showed that the Centre was not quite achieving the exacting Sales results that had been budgeted but this was more than compensated for by an under-spend in overheads.

9. COST IMPLICATIONS – NEW PARISH GUIDE

It had been decided to produce 8,000 copies of the Guide in September 2007. The Deputy Clerk had ascertained that the Guide could be produced instead of the Newsletter without affecting the Council's bid for Quality Status. Any additional costs arising from the production of the Guide would be budgeted for in the 2006/07 Newsletter Budgets.

(Action: Deputy Clerk)

10. RECHARGE FOR RE-SITING OF THE PERMANENT GOAL POST, PHILLIMORE RECREATION GROUND

Members noted the costs involved in re-siting the goal post and RESOLVED that Mr Saunders be advised that the recharge of the works would be no more than £1,900 including VAT but may be less if the mechanical digger saved labour time.

(Action: Clerk)

11. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting was scheduled for 8pm on 16 November 2005.

Closure: 9.30pm