Agenda and draft minutes

The Chairman informed those present of the actions required in the event of a fire or emergency.

a.  To receive any declarations from Members of any registerable (5A of the Code of Conduct) and/or non-registerable (5B) interests in matters to be considered at this meeting.

b.  The Town Clerk to receive written requests for dispensations prior to the start of the meeting for consideration.

a.  To receive any declarations from Members of any registerable (5A of the Code of Conduct) and/or non-registerable (5B) interests in matters to be considered at this meeting.

None.

b.  The Town Clerk to receive written requests for dispensations prior to the start of the meeting for consideration.

None.

Please note: Any member of the public requiring to put a question to the Town Council must do so by email or via The Guildhall no later than 12 noon the day before the meeting.

Members of the public are advised to review the Receiving Public Questions, Representations and Evidence at Meetings document prior to attending the meeting.

None received.

Please see a copy of the minutes on the STC website or request to see a copy at the Guildhall.

It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor P Samuels and RESOLVED that the minutes of the Policy and Finance Committee held on 9 July 2024 were confirmed as a true and correct record.

The Town Clerk was asked by the Chairman to provide the Committee with an overview on the item.

Members were reminded that they had previously resolved that the role of the Policy and Finance Committee is Governance/Policy led, supporting all aspects of the six Strategic Priorities. The Town Vision Sub Committee asked for the Committee to reconsider.  A number of draft ‘Aims’ for Committee had been worked up and included in the reports pack for consideration. Members discussed the draft ‘Aims’ and their relevance to the work of the Committee.

It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Dent and RESOLVED:

1.  To note the Town Vision Sub Committee recommendation;

2.  To approve the business plan deliverables for the Policy and Finance Committee as attached;

3.  To note the Policy and Finance Committee scoring for the first quarter was missed due to the late arrival of their deliverables.

It was RESOLVED to note.

It was RESOLVED to note.

It was RESOLVED to note.

The Finance Officer briefed the Committee on the items in the investment report.

It wasproposed by Councillor P Samuels, seconded by Councillor Stoyel and RESOLVED:

1.  To note the report;

2.  To approve the Finance Officer to withdraw £500,000 from the Nationwide Account during the period of December 2024 to March 2025 to cover future Town Council liabilities;

3.  To delegate to the Finance Officer to reinvest the Lloyds deposit of £340,000 in a new Nationwide Business One Year Fixed Term Saver Issue 27 at an investment rate of 4.25%, subject to that option being available and the most competitive in November.

It was RESOLVED to note.

It was proposed by Councillor Martin, seconded by Councillor Peggs to vire £7,581 from EMF 6279 Restart Business Support Grant to budget code 6220 Festival Fund.

Councillor Martin subsequently withdrew the proposal supported by Councillor Peggs.

It was proposed by Councillor Bullock, seconded by Councillor Bickford and RESOLVED:

1.  To note the budget statements;

2.  To vire £1,000 from EMF 6279 Restart Business Support Grant to budget code 6220 Festival Fund, in support of future applications.

The Finance Officer briefed Members on her report.

Councillor B Samuels informed Members of minute number 141/21/22 and her belief that a valuation of STC property and assets was recommended to Full Council at that meeting which is within the last 5 years.

It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor B Samuels and RESOLVED:

1.  To note the report;

2.  To review budget code 6279 EMF Restart Business Support Grant under agenda item 17;

3.  To delegate authority to the Finance Officer to obtain 3 valuation quotes for the valuation of STC property and assets by the appointment of a surveyor working within budget code 6224 Professional Costs, reporting back to a future P and F meeting subject to establishing that a valuation has not taken place during that time.

It was RESOLVED to note that there are no outstanding insurance claims to report.

Members reviewed the Town Council Main Insurance Policy renewal proposal from Zurich Insurance for the year 2024/25.

It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Dent and RESOLVED to approve Zurich 3 year policy extension for the year 2024/25 at a cost of £11,668.94 (including all applicable taxes) from budget code 6205 Insurance.

Nothing to report.

The Finance Officer worked through the budget statement for the year 2025/26 contained within the circulated reports pack.

It was proposed by Councillor B Samuels, seconded by Councillor Stoyel and resolved to RECOMMEND to the Policy and Finance Committee to be held on 12 November 2024 the Policy and Finance Committee budget statement for the year 2025/26 (as attached) including the following amendments:

Operating Expenditure:

1.  To vire unspent funds from budget code 6202 PF Civic Occasions to 6272 EMF Robes and Civic Regalia;

2.  To vire unspent funds from budget code 6514 Town Leaflets / Reprinting to the Services Committee budget code 6511 Tourism and Signage, deleting code 6514 Town Leaflets / Reprinting;

3.  To create a new code 6532 Social Media advertising, to promote / advertise the work of the Town Council, setting a budget of £1,000;

4.  To vire unspent funds from budget code 6661 Finance Consultancy Fees to the Personnel Committee budget code 6694 EMF Staff Contingency, deleting code 6661 Finance Consultancy Fees;

5.  To not increase budget code 6270 EMF Crime Reduction;

6.  To increase budget code 6275 EMF Neighbourhood Plan by £2,500 to support future Neighbourhood Plan updates by the appointment of a consultant;

7.  To vire unspent funds from budget code 6279 EMF Restart Business Support Grant to budget code 6282 Funding Bids (Consultancy Fees);

8.  To consolidate budget code 6283 EMF Events and vire unspent funds to budget code 6284 EMF Consultations;

9.  To not increase budget code 6285 EMF Twinning;

10.  To delete budget code 6286 EMF CLUP Waterside Connectivity Project,  due to funding received has now been spent;

11.  To create a new code 6287 EMF Website (Capital Expenditure), to better promote / advertise the work of the Town Council, setting a budget of £6,000;

12.  To rename budget code 6370 EMF Computer Equipment Renewal to EMF Computer and Office Equipment Renewal;

13.  To vire unspent funds from budget code 6302 Office and IT Equipment to budget code 6370 EMF Computer and Office Equipment Renewal, deleting code 6302 Office and IT Equipment;

14.  To vire unspent funds from budget code 6306 IT Maintenance to budget code 6370 EMF Computer and Office Equipment Renewal;

15.  To vire unspent funds from budget code 6516 Road Safety Grant to budget code 6275 EMF Neighbourhood Plan;

16.  To delete budget code 6515 Road Safety.

Nothing to report.

Councillor Peggs left the meeting.

a.  CC276 Girlguiding Saltash

Councillor Peggs returned to the meeting.

The Chairman informed the Committee of the attendance of Julie Dingle, a trustee of Saltash Girl Guides, at the meeting. He thanked Julie for her attendance and invited her to brief the Committee on the background to the application received and contained in the reports pack.

Councillor Foster gave his apologies and left the meeting

It was proposed by Councillor Bickford, seconded by Councillor Martin and RESOLVED to award £1,000.

1. FF126 Saltash Music, Speech and Drama Festival

It was proposed by Councillor Peggs, seconded by Councillor Bickford and RESOLVED to award £1,000.

1. CC274 Saltash Community Shed.

It was proposed by Councillor Peggs, seconded by Councillor P Samuels and RESOLVED:

1.    To note the report;

2.    To request the refund of surplus funds of £75.01 due to the request not meeting the original description of the project application, which was workbenches, in accordance with the Town Council policy which the Town Council must abide to.

2. FF122 Songs and Shanties Festival.

It was RESOLVED to note.

3. FF124 Saltash Regatta.

It was RESOLVED to note.

1. Co-option Policy.

It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Stoyel and resolved to RECOMMEND the Co-option Policy (as attached) to Full Council to be held on 3 October 2024.

2. Match Funding for Festivals.

Members discussed the draft Match Funding for Festivals Policy and how it would work within the current grant funding strategy.

It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor P Samuels and RESOLVED that there is no requirement at this stage to introduce a Match Funding for Festivals Policy due to the existing Grants Policy being available.

The Town Clerk advised Members that it is good practice to review Town Council policies during the year and falls in line with the requirements of the Internal and External Auditors.

Members reviewed the following policies.

a.  Acquisition or Sale of Land and Property.

b.  Civic Handbook.

c.   Election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

d.  Public Loudspeaker System (Fore Street).

It was proposed by Councillor Stoyel, seconded by Councillor Dent and RESOLVED to note that following a review of the policies listed above and as attached, no amendments were required at this stage.

a.  Livewire.

It was RESOLVED to note.

b.  The Core.

It was RESOLVED to note.

a.  Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group

Nothing to report.

b.  Saltash Team for Youth

The Town Clerk referred Members to The Core seeking to renegotiate it’s 30-year lease with Cornwall Council and the complexity of the process.

Councillor Peggs provided an overview of the visit to Saltash Community School praising the work of the Head Teacher.

It was RESOLVED to note.

c.   Section 106 Panel

Nothing to report.

To resolve that pursuant to Section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to meetings) Act 1960 the public and press leave the meeting because of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.

To resolve that pursuant to Section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 the public and press leave the meeting because of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.

None.

To resolve that the public and press be re-admitted to the meeting.

To resolve that the public and press be re-admitted to the meeting.

It was proposed by Councillor Martin, seconded by Councillor Bullock and RESOLVED to issue the following Press and Social Media release:

1.   Community Chest and Festival Fund grant awards.