Agenda and minutes

Venue: Virtual Meeting Room via Zoom. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services Officer 

Items
No. Item

F403

Apologies for Absence

To consider apologies and reasons for absence.

 

Committee members who are unable to attend the meeting should notify the Democratic Services Officer (nicky.cayley@witney-tc.gov.uk) prior to the meeting, stating the reason for absence.

 

Standing Order 30(a)(v) permits the appointment of substitute Councillors to a Committee whose role is  ...  view the full agenda text for item F403

Minutes:

An apology for his absence was received from Cllr Harvey.

F404

Declarations of Interest

Members are reminded to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests in any of the items under consideration at this meeting in accordance with the Town Council’s code of conduct.

Minutes:

Cllr Eaglestone and Collins declared interests in the item on property matters as they both sat on the Witney Town Hall Charity.

F405

Minutes pdf icon PDF 518 KB

a)    To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Policy, Governance and Finance Committee meeting held on 28 September 2020 (enclosed)

 

b) Matters arising from the minutes not covered elsewhere on the agenda (Questions on the progress of any item).

 

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2020.

 

RESOLVED:          that the minutes of the meeting held on 28 September be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

 

 

F406

Public Participation

Members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting.  Any member of the public who so wishes may speak, at this point in the meeting, for a maximum of five minutes on any matter relating to an item on the agenda

Minutes:

The member of the public present did not wish to participate in the meeting.

F407

Payment of Accounts pdf icon PDF 344 KB

To receive and consider the schedule of accounts paid and bank reconciliations.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the report of the Office Manager, together with bank reconciliations and statements and a schedule of payments.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.            that the report be noted;

 

2.            that the bank reconciliations and bank statements be noted;

 

3.            that the following schedules of payments be approved:

 

Cheque No’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item F407

F408

Annual Investment Strategy 2020-21 pdf icon PDF 336 KB

To receive and consider the report of the Town Clerk/RFO regarding the annual review of the Council’s Investment Strategy for 2020-21

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the report of the Town Clerk/RFO.  She advised that the strategy was standard for the sector.

 

RECOMMENDED:             that the report be noted:

 

1.                  that the current investment in secure banks and the Town Clerk/RFO continues to monitor interest rates to ensure that the Council receives  ...  view the full minutes text for item F408

F409

Grants and Subsidised Lettings pdf icon PDF 106 KB

To receive and consider the report of the Democratic Services Officer.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the report of the DSO and the grant application from Volunteer Link Up.

 

RESOLVED:          that the report be noted and that Volunteer Link Up be granted £500 under the General Power of Competence.

F410

Marking Community and National Campaigns via Lighting up of the Corn Exchange pdf icon PDF 340 KB

To receive and consider the draft annual calendar of events for the lighting up of the Corn Exchange from the Office Manager. Members should consider any further dates the Council should include.

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the report of the Office Manager.  The Chair commented that LibFest would be purple in colour and that the building could still be lit up even if the event itself did not take place.  She suggested that annual events should include International Women’s Day (8  ...  view the full minutes text for item F410

F411

Financial Reports pdf icon PDF 352 KB

To receive and consider the detailed Income & Expenditure reports and the report of the Town Clerk/RFO on matters arising from the spending Committees during this cycle of meetings which have financial implications.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the report of the Town Clerk/RFO, the financial report and recommendations made by spending Committees through the current cycle of meetings.

 

RECOMMENDED:             that the report be noted and that the recommendations from spending committees be approved.

F411a)

Revised revenue budget 2020-21 and base revenue budget for 2021-22 pdf icon PDF 542 KB

To receive and consider the report of the Town Clerk/RFO and the Draft Revised Revenue Budget for 2020-21 and Draft Budget for 2021-22

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the report of the Town Clerk/RFO, which was circulated prior to the meeting. She explained that she had not yet received the tax base information from the District Council that was needed to finalise the budget and therefore the Council would not be able to  ...  view the full minutes text for item F411a)

F411b)

Schedule of proposed Fees and Charges 2021-22 pdf icon PDF 420 KB

During Budget Setting Cycle the Council reviews its Fees and Charges for the various facilities and services it operates.

 

Attached are the schedule of charges in respect of the assets and services which have been presented and agreed by the relevant Committees for which they fall under the responsibility of.  ...  view the full agenda text for item F411b)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the revised schedule of charges for recreation, burials and hall hire, which had been recommended by the appropriate committees.

 

RESOLVED:          that the Fees and charges as presented, be approved.

 

F411c)

Revised Capital & Special Revenue Projects Programme 2020-21

To receive and consider the report of the Town Clerk/RFO relating to an update on the Capital & Special Revenue Projects Programme for 2020-21 – TO FOLLOW

 

Minutes:

This was item would be informed by the Strategic Plan and was therefore referred to that meeting on 14 December.

 

RESOLVED:          that this item be referred to the Strategic Plan meeting on 14 December 2020.

F411d)

Revenue Growth Items and Capital/Special Revenue Projects Programme 2021-22 and beyond

The Town Clerk/RFO will be reporting on the items identified during the course of the year for inclusion as Revenue Growth Items in the Council’s Revenue Budget as well as items for the Capital/Special Revenue Projects Programme 2021-22 and beyond – however it should be noted that as a recommendation  ...  view the full agenda text for item F411d)

Minutes:

This was item would be informed by the Strategic Plan and was therefore referred to that meeting on 14 December.

 

RESOLVED:          that this item be referred to the Strategic Plan meeting on 14 December 2020.

 

F412

Exclusion of Press and Public

To consider and if appropriate, to pass the following resolution:

That in accordance with section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, and as extended by Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public, including the press, be excluded from the meeting because of the  ...  view the full agenda text for item F412

Minutes:

RESOLVED:        that in accordance with section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admissions toMeetings) Act 1960, and as extended by Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public, including the press, be excluded from the meeting because of the confidential nature of the following business to be transacted.  ...  view the full minutes text for item F412

F413

Debtor Report

To receive a current schedule of outstanding debtors from the Office Manager.

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered an updated report from the office Manager on debtors.

 

RESOLVED:          that the report be noted.

F414

National Protocol

To receive the confidential National Protocol and accompanying Addendum.

Minutes:

Members received and considered the report of the Office Manager, which had been revised due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

RECOMMENDED:             that the updated protocol in the light of covid be noted and approved and with any lighting up of the Corn Exchange in relevance to this taking precedence over any  ...  view the full minutes text for item F414

F415

Property & Legal Matters

To receive and consider the confidential report of the Town Clerk relating to various property and legal matters.

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the confidential report of the Town Clerk, circulated prior to the meeting, which included an update on the situation relating to the rent review of the Town Council’s rent for the Town Hall, Town House and Buttercross, and also the letting of the retail unit  ...  view the full minutes text for item F415

F416

Open Spaces Strategy & Review of Grounds Maintenance Contract

Following the recommendation at the last meeting to have an Open Spaces Strategy and use external Consultants to assist with the thorough review of the Grounds Maintenance Contract (minute F320 refers) – to receive and consider the confidential report of the Town Clerk as well as the recommendation from the  ...  view the full agenda text for item F416

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Following the recommendation at the last meeting (minute F320), the Town Clerk had sought fee proposals from suitably qualified consultants to undertake a review of the Council’s Grounds Maintenance Contract and provide an Open Spaces Strategy. The Committee considered the confidential report, along with four fee proposals all of which  ...  view the full minutes text for item F416

F417

Staffing Matters

To receive and consider the confidential minutes of the Personnel Sub-Committee meeting held on 11 November 2020 and agree any recommendations contained therein. 

 

TO BE CIRCULATED UNDER SEPARATE COVER.

 

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the confidential minutes of the Personnel Sub Committee held on 11 November 2020 as circulated prior to the meeting.

 

RESOLVED:  that the confidential minutes be noted and the recommendations contained therein be agreed.