Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee Meeting held on Tuesday, 18 November 2008 in the Civic Chamber, Council Offices, Skelmanthorpe
PRESENT: Cllrs N Wilson (Chair), R Brook, P Calpin, E Shaw, A Tribe, G Turner
IN ATTENDANCE: Hazel Chowcat, Clerk to the Council
832 Open Session
No members of the public were present.
833 Chair
In the absence of the Chair and Vice Chair, Cllr Wilson took the Chair.
834 Apologies for Absence
Reasons for absence were received from Cllrs J A Barlow, M Barlow, M Mills, and C Rimmer. It was RESOLVED that the reasons for absence submitted by these councillors be accepted as valid.
835 Declarations of Councillors’ Interests
Cllr Brook and Cllr Tribe both declared a personal interest in Item 7, community grant aid.
836 Admission of the Public
It was RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded for item 12, since it includes matters relating to staffing terms and conditions.
837 Minutes
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 17 June 2008 be received.
838 Small Grant Applications
Applications for grants were considered. It was RESOLVED that the application from the Emley Methodist Church be considered under Community Grant Applications. In relation to the remaining applications, it was RESOLVED that the Council, in accordance with its powers under Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 should incur the following expenditure which, in the opinion of the Council, is in the interests of the area or its inhabitants and will benefit them in a manner commensurate with the expenditure: grant awards of £1448.29. It was FURTHER RESOLVED that grant awards of £1440 be made under statutory powers.
839 Community Grant Applications
The Clerk submitted applications for community grants from the Denby Dale Centre, the Birdsedge and District Village Hall and the Emley Methodist Church. It was RESOLVED that the Council, in accordance with its powers under Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 should incur the following expenditure which, in the opinion of the Council, is in the interests of the area or its inhabitants and will benefit them in a manner commensurate with the expenditure:
a) A grant of £3,480 to the Denby Dale Centre
b) A grant of £900 to the Emley Methodist Church
It was FURTHER RESOLVED in accordance with its powers under S.19 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 to make a grant of £5000 to the Birdsedge & District Village Hall towards renovation works and that if the council still has funds in its community grant budget at the end of the financial year and if the Birdsedge & District Village Hall still requires funds, then a further grant would be considered by the council.
840 Financial Report
The Clerk submitted a six month budget statement to 30 September 2008. It was RESOLVED that the statement be accepted and that the Council discuss in further detail the purpose of the Parish Green Initiative budget.
841 2009/2010 Budget
The Clerk submitted a draft budget for the next financial year. It was RESOLVED that the budget be considered in detail at a special meeting of the Committee to be held on 13 January 2009 at 7.30pm.
842 Skelmanthorpe Speeding Survey
The Clerk submitted the report of the Skelmanthorpe Community Action Group speeding survey which had been presented to the Parish Council at its meeting on 4 November by Christopher Ward. Members discussed the report and noted that most of the issues highlighted in the survey had been raised over previous years with Kirklees Council. It was RESOLVED that the Parish Council write to SCAG to advise them that the Parish Council was happy to support the Group’s findings and to point out that many of the issues highlighted in the survey had been raised over previous years with Kirklees Council. It was FURTHER RESOLVED to write to Kirklees Council supporting the findings of the survey.
843 Orders for Payment
It was RESOLVED that Orders for Payment No. 482 totalling £159.75 be approved.
844 Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on 13 January 2009 starting at 7.30pm.
845 Exclusion of the Press and Public
It was RESOLVED in terms of Schedule 12, Local Government Act 1972 the following items are likely to disclose exempt information relating to contractual matters and it is therefore RESOLVED that pursuant to the provisions of the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, the press and public be excluded.
846 Clerk’s Salary
It was RESOLVED to implement the 2008 National Interim Salary Award for Local Council Clerks.
Signed…………………………………
CHAIR
