2 February 2010

Last updated: Tuesday, 02 February 2010, 03:39 PM

Hardwick Parish Council

Meeting held on Tuesday 2 February 2010 in the School at 7.45 pm

Present: Cllrs I Storr (Chairman), S Cripps, A Gill, and. P Joslin,

In attendance: G Stoehr (Clerk)

Open Public Session

No comments received.

1 To approve apologies for absence and declarations of interest

Apologies were received from Cllrs Stewart, Chamberlain, Atkinson and Freeman.

2 To review budget FY 2010

The Parish Council

Reviewed - the agreed budget for FY 2010 v receipts and payments to date.
Noted - the more detailed monitoring of income & expenditure undertaken by the RFO of the individual transactions.
Agreed:- Sports club pitch hire - given the pitch drainage project and the inability of the clubs to use pitches suspend the invoices for this year. The Clubs are to be informed.
Agreed - To insure the speed camera.
Reviewed the reserves- noted the overspend on the special projects budget some projects eg bow top fencing to be taken from the s106 money
Agreed to maintain the S106 Taylor Woodrow balance towards the agreed commitment of £50k for the proposed layby/highway works outside the village shop and to earmark the balance required to make up the £50,000 from the general fund.
Agreed - Any overspend on the total budget due to the special projects would either be covered by under-spend in other budget headings or from the general reserves.
Noted - The pitch drainage grant money had now all been received in full. Even with the additional requirements eg the training and the return surveyors fee the cost to the pc was only 25% of originally agreed
Noted - the estimated payments outstanding which included estimated solicitors costs for the land registration of St Mary's Church, the changing rooms extension planning application fee.
Noted - The drain under the car park had been checked by Dynorod who had found no blockage.
Noted - the general reserves should be between 1-1.5 x annual expenditure and that these adjustments would leave the Parish Council towards the lower level

3 To approve budget for 2011 and to set precept

The Parish Council:

Reviewed the draft budget as prepared by the RFO was reviewed line by line.
Wages salary pensions - agreed - the Chairman to undertake the annual appraisal of the two employees and report to a future meeting. Risk assessment forms etc are to be sent to the Chairman in preparation for the reviews.
Grounds maintenance - considered the letter from Peter Rounds. In response agreed to extend his contract by one further year i.e. for the 2011 season and to increase grounds maintenance budget by £300 to reflect the annual increase.
Admin affiliation gen supplies. - affiliations considered. Agreed not to affiliate again this year to CPALC but to invite Cambs ACRE to attend a meeting to outline in person the benefits of membership.
Repairs & assets - noting the work undertaken to the CCTV during the year and the ongoing problems with the cameras it was agreed to ask Briar Security to prepare at no cost to the pc a report on the viability of the current CCTV system and if better to keep repairing /replacing piecemeal or new system etc. agreed to increase the draft budget from £8000 to £9000.
Streetlights - noted letter from CCC with indication of estimated costs for Fy2011. agreed to increase draft budget by further £300 to £2300.
S137 noted the support given to sports clubs over the year due to the pitch drainage project which was unforeseeable. Agreed to budget £2500. The letter from the Church seeking financial support will be considered at the April meeting as a donation was last made in Sept 2009.
Noted draft budget for receipts.
Agreed not to increase the precept and that the special projects budget should be £5344.
Agreed that there should be a separate meeting each year to consider the budget and set the precept.

Approved the Budget for FY ending 31 March 2011 by resolution of the Parish Council and set the Precept demand at £46500 ^{(Prop SC, 2nd PJ, unanimous)}

4 Closure of meeting

There was no further business and the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.10pm.