Minutes of Finance Committee on 25 September 2024

AGENDA

PARISH COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE

Wednesday 25 SEPTEMBER 2024 at 9.30am

STAKEFORD AND BOMARSUND SPORTS AND SOCIAL WELFARE CENTRE

Agenda

1. Apologies for absence – Members are reminded of the importance to submit apologies for non-attendance and of the need for the meeting to consider acceptance of these apologies.
2. Members will identify any declarations of disclosable pecuniary and other registerable interest(s).
3. Public Questions (Please read note)
4. To receive and agree as a true record the minutes of the meeting held on 24th July 2024.
5. Matters arising
6. Members audit schedule for October to March. Members will be asked to identify dates that they are free to perform an internal control audit. See Appendix 1
7. Internal controls revision. Members will receive a report on financial internal controls for discussion.
8. Financial Performance to the end of the financial quarter. Members will be asked to consider the financial performance for the period June to August 2024  Appendix 2

Agenda, Part 2 

Members will be asked to consider under Standing Order 3, that in view of the special and confidential nature of the business to be transacted, it is advisable in the public interest that the press and public be excluded and asked to withdraw.

1. Any items referred from part 1. for consideration.

• Members will consider requests for grants from community groups.

Notes to be read in connection with Agenda Items 2 and 3

 Note for the Public – Members of the public may attend but access will be on a first come first served basis.  Public questions can be notified to the Parish Clerk before 4pm on Tuesday 24 September 2024 the meeting and will be read out in the meeting during the public session.  As usual, it is not the Council’s custom to respond during the public session.  Where appropriate the Chairman will inform the resident of the action to be taken, that is, passed to a committee; go on the next agenda; or the points will be taken into consideration if already on the agenda

Note re Declarations of interest – Members are required to disclose personal and prejudicial interests relating to any matters to be considered at the meeting.  The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.   An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting if it only becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

If a member who has declared a personal interest then considers the interest to be prejudicial he/she shall declare that, and, after making any representations, answering questions or giving evidence relating to the business, the member shall withdraw from the room for the remainder of the item to which the interest relates

Angela Brindley

Parish Clerk/Responsible Finance Officer

19 September 2024

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF CHOPPINGTON PARISH COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE HELD ON WEDNESDAY 25 SEPTEMBER  IN THE PARISH COUNCIL OFFICES

THOSE ATTENDING:

Cllr H Allsopp

Cllr G Huntley

Cllr A Iley

Cllr J Rowell (Chair)

Cllr P S Vaughan

Cllr L Watson

IN ATTENDANCE:

Mrs A Brindley Parish Clerk/Responsible Finance Officer

AGENDA PART 1

F017/24         1.         APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.

The following apologies were received:  Cllr J Foster (medical appointment), Cllr K Burn (prior commitment). The meeting agreed that these were proper reasons for absence.

F018/24         2.         MEMBERS DECLARATION OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY AND OTHER REGISTERABLE INTEREST(S).

Cllrs Allsopp, Huntley, Vaughan and Watson are appointed as Trustees to strategic partners, and if there became a prejudicial interest in discussing item 7, they would withdraw from the meeting.

F019/24        3.         PUBLIC QUESTIONS.

There were no questions from the public

F020/24         4.         TO RECEIVE AND AGREE AS A TRUE RECORD THE MINUTES  OF THE MEETING HELD ON 24 JULY 2024

The minutes were agreed, and the Chairman was approved to sign them as correct

F021/24         5.         MATTERS ARISING

F016/24 Liddells Field surfacing is due to be completed in the next few days.

FO22/24         6.         MEMBERS AUDIT SCHEDULE FOR OCTOBER TO MARCH

 Members requested to identify when they are available to undertake the monthly audit of financial transaction made by the Parish Council.

RESOLVED: That the Parish Clerk identify pairs of members to audit financial transactions, and they will arrange a mutually convenient date to attend.

F023/24         7.         INTERNAL CONTROL REVISION

Members were asked to consider a report from the PC/RFO which to give strength to internal controls when considering funds to strategic partners.  This builds on the Memorandum of Understanding with strategic partners.

RESOLVED: Members accepted the recommendations of the report commending the additional internal measures.                   

F024/24         8.         FINANCIAL REPORT

1.  PERFORMANCE TO THE END OF THE FINANCIAL PERIOD.  The RFO Finance Officer presented the budget report to August with explanations of exceptional variances.
2. REGULAR PAYMENTS SCHEDULE The RFO presented a list of regular payments for approval.

RESOLVED:

1. Members noted the explanations for variances on the budget report.
2. Approved the regular payments schedule for authorisation by the Chairman

AGENDA – PART 2.

Members considered under Standing Order 3, that in view of the special and confidential nature of the business to be transacted, it was advisable in the public interest that the press and public be excluded and asked to withdraw.

F025/24    Members considered the grant request from SENRUG a pro-rail voluntary campaign group.  This is a countywide organisation and members were minded to concentrate their small grant allocation to Parish based organisations and declined the application.

There being no further business the meeting ended 11.00am

Signed by the Chairman: …………………………………………….               Date:  ………………….

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF CHOPPINGTON PARISH COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE HELD ON WEDNESDAY 24 JULY  IN THE PARISH COUNCIL OFFICES

THOSE ATTENDING:

Cllr H Allsopp

Cllr G Huntley

Cllr J Rowell (Chair)

Cllr P S Vaughan

Cllr L Watson

IN ATTENDANCE:

Mrs A Brindley Parish Clerk/Responsible Finance Officer

AGENDA PART 1

F010/24         1.         APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.

The following apologies were received:  Cllr J Foster (family commitment), Cllr K Burn (prior commitment) and Cllr A Iley (out of area). The meeting agreed that these were proper reasons for absence.

F011/24         2.         MEMBERS DECLARATION OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY AND

OTHER REGISTERABLE INTEREST(S).

No declarations were made.

F012/24        3.         PUBLIC QUESTIONS.

                                    There were no questions from the public

F013/24         4.         TO RECEIVE AND AGREE AS A TRUE RECORD THE MINUTES

 OF THE MEETING HELD ON 5^th JULY 2024

The minutes were agreed, and the Chairman was approved to sign them as correct

F014/24         5.         MATTERS ARISING

The Clerk advised that the credit card is still outstanding.

F015/24         6.         FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE TO THE END OF THE FINANCIAL

QUARTER.

The Finance Officer reported on expenditure and income undertaken during the first 3 months.  Members were given explanations for exceptional variances.

RESOLVED:  Members noted the explanations and thanked the RFO for the report.

F016/24         10.       Liddells Field.  The Parish Clerk advised that the working group will

                          not be meeting on Monday 29^th but offered a site visit to members after the meeting.

RESOLVED: Members of the Finance Committee to attend a site visit to Liddells Field on conclusion of the Finance meeting.

AGENDA – PART 2. 

Members considered under Standing Order 3, that in view of the special and confidential nature of the business to be transacted, it was advisable in the public interest that the press and public be excluded and asked to withdraw.

No Agenda items under Part 2

There being no further business the meeting ended 10.00am

Signed by the Chairman: …………………………………………….               Date:  ………………

Appendix 1

Internal Control

Audit by members of financial transactions

Appendix 2

Agenda Item 8                     Meeting 25 September 2024

Item 7. 25 September 2024   INTERNAL CONTROLS REPORT

ADDITIONAL CONTROLS FOR STRATEGIC PARTNERS

Scope

A Local Council is responsible for ensuring its business is conducted in accordance with the law and proper standards, and that public money is safeguarded and properly accounted for, and used economically, efficiently and effectively. Internal controls are measures that each council takes to ensure that all actions have legal authority and that checks in the process are in place to demonstrate financial probity of the Council to residents.  Internal Controls are reviewed annually by the Parish Council.  This document informs the review.

Existing Financial Internal Controls

Measures that are already adopted and evolved to support the work of the Council include:

Expenditure

1. In approving the budget, the Council authorises expenditure on revenue items up to the amounts included for that class of expenditure in the budget.
2. Exceptional items by sum (over £5,000) or by nature (not usual in the frequency) are reported to the Council for separate authorisation
3. Parish council may delegate approval for expenditure to Parish Clerk/RFO in consultation with1 or more members.

Payments

1. All payments are reported to each meeting of the Parish Council.
2. Two members of the approved bank signatories must authorise every payment after review of the accompanying invoice.
3. Payments made through the online banking system are entered onto the system by the Finance Officer and then approved by another officer.
4. A rota of members follows through the audit trail of financial transactions

In addition, the Council gains assurance by the independent assessment of the audit procedure.

1. Internal auditor is independent and reports to the Council on the adequacy of its records, procedures and systems
2. External auditor appointed externally and issues audit certificate.

The purpose of an annual review is to ensure as the Parish Council develops,  the internal controls remain effective and relevant.

In 2023 Members approved the principles for funding strategic partners as below:

1          Community Partners are organisations whose purpose, ambitions and ethos match the strategic objectives of the Parish Council.  The partnership is governed through a Memorandum of Understanding

2          Support is directed towards projects which will improve accessible community facilities.

3          In the current environment it is recognised that community organisations face particular financial pressures.  The Parish Council considers that best value is achieved through investment to make community buildings and organisations more efficient and sustainable.

4          The Parish Council recognises the need to protect cashflow, but this can only be applied where it is evidenced that the financial disciplines conform to sound financial standards, meeting the requirements of the appropriate regulator.

This is a relationship particular to this Council and which may require additional measures to the existing controls.  Members are requested to review current controls in the light of the principles above and approve a process that meets the standards of transparency, probity and legal authority.

Proposed internal control

Members are asked to consider adopting a process which will ensure prior authorisation by a panel of members in advance of any transfer as follows:

1. Responsible person from the strategic partner organisation will initiate a request to the Parish Clerk who will have authority to convene an approvals panel to consider the application against agreed criteria.

2.   Approval panel membership approved annually

3.   Responsible person can attend approvals panel for questions

4.  Any such panel will require necessary authorisation and might be considered a sub-committee of the Finance Committee. This may be considered under agenda 2.

5.  Reports to Finance Committee

Criteria

• Evidence that strategic partner is meeting strategic objectives of Parish Council.
• Evidence that the strategic partner is by their own performance taking reasonable steps to maximise income and reduce expenditure independent of the Parish Council.
• Agreement between parties of the reason for the transfer i.e. revenue or capital.
• Transfer is triggered when reserves fall below a level that is sustainability is under threat.
• Presentation of Quarterly Report of expenditure and income.
• Budgeted funding from earmarked balances.

Annually

• CPC and strategic partner annually agree trigger point at budget time
• Strategic partner report to Parish Council

Angela Brindley

20 September 2024