Finance Committee
Oversees the council’s budget and spend and makes decisions on grant applications.
Macclesfield Town Council
Finance Committee Agenda 15th March 2021
Due to the Coronavirus Covid-19 restrictions and in line with the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 this meeting will be held remotely, broadcast on youtube.com and can be viewed on the Macclesfield Town Council youtube.com channel.
Agenda for the meeting on 15th March 2021 at 7.00pm
1. Apologies for Absence
2. Declarations of Interest
Public Questions
The meeting will be adjourned to invite comments and questions from the public.
The meeting will then be reconvened.
NOTE: If you would like to speak during public session, please email clerk@macclesfield-tc.gov.uk by 5pm on Thursday 11th March 2021. Every practicable effort will be made to try and arrange your inclusion.
If you would like to submit a written statement, please submit your statement for inclusion and circulation to the committee to clerk@macclesfield-tc.gov.uk by 5pm on Thursday 11th March 2021.
3. Minutes of the Meeting of the Finance Committee on 30th November 2020
4. Matters Arising from the Minutes
5. Grant Applications
ACTION: To consider grant applications for the following applications:
5.1 Space 4 Autism
5.2 Crucial Crew
6. Grant Updates
ACTION: To note the received grant updates
6.1 Macclesfield Male Voice Choir Update
6.2 Silklife Foodbank Update
6.3 Christmas Tree Collection
6.4 Disability Information Bureau
6.5 Macclesfield Rugby Union Football Club
7. Governance Review
ACTION: To approve the Grants Policy (Update) and recommend to Full Council 29/03/21
8. Spend to Date
ACTION:
8.1 To approve the spend to date (end of Jan 21) of £444,127 for recommendation to Full Council on 29th March 2021
8.2 To note the following reports:
- Receipts and Payments
- Bank Reconciliation
- Income and Expenditure
9. CCTV Mobile Cameras
ACTION: To note the cost of the Mobile Cameras, as agreed in the Budget 2020/21
10. Internal Audit
ACTION:
10.1 To note Internal Audit Report
10.2 To note recommended and completed actions
11. Member Items
12. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The date of the next meeting of the Finance Committee is 7pm, 26th April 2021 format/venue to be confirmed subject to C-19 restrictions and related regulations.
Macclesfield Town Council
Finance Committee Minutes 15th March 2021
Due to the Coronavirus Covid-19 restrictions and in line with the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 this meeting will be held remotely, broadcast on youtube.com and can be viewed on the Macclesfield Town Council youtube.com channel.
Minutes for the meeting on 15th March 2021 at 7.00pm
In attendance:
- Cllr Chris Wilcock
- Cllr Alift Harewood MBE
- Cllr Fiona Wilson
- Cllr Neil Puttick
- Cllr Mike Hutchison
1. Apologies for Absence
Cllr Sarah Bennett-Wake
2. Declarations of Interest
There were no declarations of interest
PUBLIC QUESTIONS
The meeting was adjourned to invite comments and questions from the public.
There were no questions from members of the public.
The meeting was then reconvened.
3. Minutes of the Meeting of the Finance Committee on 30th November 2020
RESOLVED: That the minutes are approved as a true record of the meeting
4. Matters Arising from the Minutes
Cllr Wilson raised 2 matters arising as follows:
4.1 Healthbox submitted a grant application, at the last Finance Committee meeting on 30th November 2020 and the Committee sought further information from the applicant:
i. The time period the project will cover.
ii. The area or cohort the grant will cover or target.
iii. A list of the facilities and venues they will be using and an assurance that they will be Covid secure.
iv. A copy of food hygiene certificates in place for the project.
v. More information that there is a need that is not covered by other food providing organisations in Macclesfield.
vi. The Town Clerk, Chair of Finance and Vice Chair of Finance will give final approval and report back to all Committee members for a decision to be made Information was gathered that showed that the need
After gathering information, it became apparent that the need for this project was covered by other organisations and therefore Healthbox withdrew their grant request. Cllr Wilson stated this showed how organisations were working together to deliver services rather than duplicate them.
4.2 It was recommended by the Finance Committee at the meeting on 30th November 2020, that:
i. To give the surplus in the Civic Events budget at the end of the financial year (excluding costs for the Civic Awards) to the Mayors Chosen Charity’s as fundraising has been so difficult this year.
ii. To give the surplus from the Remembrance budget to the local branch of the Royal British Legion minus £3000 which we will use next year to hold a larger event, as it is the Royal British Legions 100th birthday.
This was subsequently agreed at Full Council on 14th December 2020.
The clerk advised that, once the year end accounts are completed, the actual figures will be brought to the subsequent Services or Finance Committee depending on the date of completion of the accounts for approval.
5. Grant Applications
5.1 Space 4 Autism grant request for £1800.
RESOLVED: That the grant of £1800 is approved.
5.2 Crucial Crew grant request for £2000.
RESOLVED: That the grant of £2000 is approved.
6. Grant Updates
The following grant updates were noted, and Councillors thanked the groups for their work.
6.1 Macclesfield Male Voice Choir Update.
6.2 Silklife Foodbank Update.
6.3 Christmas Tree Collection.
6.4 Disability Information Bureau.
6.5 Macclesfield Rugby Club.
7. Governance Review
RESOLVED: The Grants and Donations Policy is approved and recommended to Full Council on 29th March 2021, with the following amendments:
I. The contents page item 2 should now read ‘Macclesfield Town Council Grants Programmes’.
II. In Section 5, the following points are removed:
(r) Where an educational establishment in the town applies for a grant, there is a cap of £10,000 total value for all applications per annum. Applications from education establishments should demonstrate innovation. Once the cap is reached no further grants will be issued in that financial year to educational establishments unless scrutinised and approved by Full Council.
(s) Where a religious establishments and primarily faith-based organisations applies for a grant there is a cap of £10,000 total value for all applications per annum. Applications from such establishments should demonstrate innovation. Once the cap is reached, no further grants will be issued in that financial year to such establishments unless scrutinised and approved by Full Council.
The Town Clerk is to draft a new policy regarding grants the Town Council may award for over £2,000 and that Section 5 points (r) and (s) as above, are put into the new policy.
III. In section 5, point (ab) in the current policy, the reference to fly posting has been removed, this should be reinstated in Section 5 point (v).
IV. In section 6, (ii) in the current policy, the point ‘That any equipment purchased will be branded with the Macclesfield Town Council ‘supported by’ sticker which will be supplied by the Town Council where appropriate.’ should be re-instated.
8. Spend to Date
8.1 RESOLVED: The spend to date of £444,127 is approved and recommended to Full Council on 29th March 2021.
8.2 The following reports were noted:
• Receipts and Payments.
• Bank Reconciliation.
• Income and Expenditure.
9. CCTV Mobile Cameras
The cost of 2 further Mobile Cameras, as agreed in the
Budget 2020/21 was noted. It was also noted that the cost was under the budget set.
10. Internal Audit
The following reports and actions were noted:
10.1 Internal Audit report
10.2 Recommended and completed actions
11. Members Items
None.
12. Date, Time, and Place of Next Meeting
The date of the next meeting of the Finance Committee is 7pm, 26th April 2021 format/venue to be confirmed subject to C-19 restrictions and related regulations
Meeting Closed: 7.45pm
Chair: Cllr Neil Puttick
Clerk: Laura Smith