AGENDA, MEETING OF THE FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE (BUDGET), 23RD NOVEMBER 2009, 7.30PM
Admission of the Public and Media
Members of the Public and Media are welcome to attend in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meeting) Act 1960
Public Participation
Public Participation will be in accordance with Standing Order No. 11
1. Apologies
2. Declarations of interests. Members are reminded to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have on any item on this agenda in accordance with Didcot Town Council’s code of conduct.
3. Estimates and Precept Upon the Rating Authority 2010 – 2011.
The attached report and draft estimates and budget are to be considered. Committee is expected to recommend the following to Full Council on 14th December 2009;
(a) A set of estimate figures for the 2010 – 2011 budget.
(b) The precept requirement upon the Rating Authority.
4. Item referred from Council on 9th November 2009.
The following motion was originally referred from Council on 14th September 2009 and considered by this committee on 26th October 2009.
“That a working group be set up to consider the future and present role of the Town Council in assisting the development of the town for the benefit of future and present Didcot residents. The working group would review funding, boundaries, relationships with neighbouring parishes, essential and desirable Town Council services and report within twelve months to Finance and General Purposes Committee”
Committee recommended the following:
RECOMMENDED that a working group is set up as in the motion, consisting of 5 members and made up with the following councillors: 3 Conservative, 1 Labour and 1 Liberal Democrat, and that substitutes are permitted.
At its meeting on 9th November 2009, Council referred the matter back to this Committee.
5. Item referred from Council 9th November 2009.
This Committee, at its meeting on 26th October 2009, considered the following:
STANDING ORDERS (SOs) REVIEW
It was reported that following advice received earlier in the year from the National Association of Local Councils (NALC), two issues referred to SOs:
clarification of the circumstances in which a point of order maybe called, and
To consider tightening up SOs, such as what is meant by improper language.
It was explained that the last review was completed in February 2007 and as part of considering the above advice, it was an opportunity to complete a full review during the current council.
Committee recommended the following:
RECOMMENDED that a working group is set up to complete of full review of Standing Orders, which includes Financial Regulations, and that the group consists of 5 members and made up with the following councillors: 3 Conservative, 1 Labour and 1 Liberal Democrat, and that substitutes are permitted.
At its meeting on 9th November 2009, Council referred the matter back to this Committee.
Dominic Stapleton
Town Clerk
18th November 2009
MINUTES
278. PRESENT
Councillors:
- Mr P Hayward (Chair)
- Mr R Hawlor (Vice-Chair)
- Mrs M Davies
- Mr B Cooper
- Mr W Service
- Mr A Thompson (for Mr B Griffiths)
- Mr C Daukes (for Mrs J Murphy)
- Mrs M Turner (for Mrs L Hood)
Officer:
- Mr D Stapleton (Town Clerk).
279. APOLOGIES
Councillors Mrs J Murphy (personal), Mr B Griffiths (Sick), Mrs L Hood (Sick).
280. DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS
Members were reminded to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have on any item on the agenda in accordance with Didcot Town Council’s code of conduct. There were no declarations of interest.
281. BUDGET ESTIMATES AND PRECEPT UPON THE RATING AUTHORITY FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2010 – 2011
A draft budget was circulated along with admin notes, and it was explained that the budget would mean an increase of around £10 per year on a band D property. The exact figure could not be given as the tax base for 2010/2011 was still to be received.
RESOLVED that the following is recommended to Council on 14th December 2009;
(a) “That the draft estimates attached at Appendix A (pdf) for 2010/2011 be approved” and;
(b) “That a Precept Requirement upon the Rating Authority (being South Oxfordshire District Council) of £779,440 (seven hundred and seventy nine thousand, four hundred and forty pounds) be approved”.
282. A WORKING GROUP TO CONSIDER THE FUTURE AND PRESENT ROLE OF THE TOWN COUNCIL
(a) It was noted that the following motion was originally referred from Council on 14th September 2009 and considered by this committee on 26th October 2009;
“That a working group be set up to consider the future and present role of the Town Council in assisting the development of the town for the benefit of future and present Didcot residents. The working group would review funding, boundaries, relationships with neighbouring parishes, essential and desirable Town Council services and report within twelve months to Finance and General Purposes Committee”
This committee on 26th October 2009 recommended the following:
That a working group is set up as in the motion, consisting of 5 members and made up with the following councillors: 3 Conservative, 1 Labour and 1 Liberal Democrat, and that substitutes are permitted.
At its meeting on 9th November 2009, Council referred the matter back to this Committee.
(b) It was commented that the Council and Councillors cover many of the issues in the motion through normal everyday workings and therefore there was no need to set-up a working group. It was questioned as to whether this was the case, and that the Council do not have a specific policy on many of the issues and that taking this motion forward would assist in policy making. It was noted that the Council do not currently have a policy on relationships with neighbouring parishes.
RECOMMENDED that no further action is taken on the motion, but the issues raised in the motion are noted and that members report any other issues so they may be considered.
283. STANDING ORDERS (SOs) REVIEW
(a) It was noted that the following was considered by this committee at its meeting on 26th October 2009;
It was reported that advice received earlier in the year from the National Association of Local Councils (NALC), included two issues referring to SOs:
clarification of the circumstances in which a point of order maybe called, and
To consider tightening up SOs, such as what is meant by improper language.
It was explained that the last review was completed in February 2007 and as part of considering the above advice, it was an opportunity to complete a full review during the current council.
Committee recommended the following:
“that a working group is set up to complete of full review of Standing Orders, which includes Financial Regulations, and that the group consists of 5 members and made up with the following councillors: 3 Conservative, 1 Labour and 1 Liberal Democrat, and that substitutes are permitted”
At its meeting on 9th November 2009, Council referred the matter back to this Committee.
(b) It was commented that the current SOs last review was agreed in 2007, and only two issues had been recommended by NALC to look at so a full review was not necessary. It was also commented that any working group should be politically balanced.
The problems with a partial review were highlighted, in particular that the areas to look at from NALC did not sit easily within SOs and were spread throughout. It was also commented that best practice was to review SOs during each Council and there were other areas that needed looking at.
It was clarified that the recommendation had included a working group and not a committee, and that the working group would report to this committee.
In response to a question, it was explained that SOs cover Standing Committees and the appointment of members in proportion to the number of Councillors in each group to which they affiliate. It was noted that a single member was understood not to constitute a group.
RECOMMENDED that a working group is set up to complete a review of the following areas in Standing Orders:
clarification of the circumstances in which a point of order maybe called,
to consider tightening up SOs, such as what is meant by improper language, and
any other items that the Working Group feel need looking at.
The working group is to consist of 4 members, comprising 3 Conservative members and 1 Labour member, and substitutes are permitted.
The Meeting commenced at 7.30pm and closed at 8.10pm
Chair
