Finance Committee
Oversees the council’s budget and spend and makes decisions on grant applications.
Macclesfield Town Council Finance Committee
Macclesfield Town Council Notice of Meeting
16th February 2024
To Chair Cllr Ruth Thompson and Councillors Sarah Bennett-Wake, Emma Gilman, Alift Harewood-Jones, Mike Hutchison, Neil Puttick and Chris Wilcock.
You are hereby summoned to attend a meeting of
Macclesfield Town Council’s Finance Committee meeting to be held at
Macclesfield Town Hall
on
26th February 2024
commencing at 7pm,
for the purpose of transacting the business shown on the attached agenda.
With thanks,
Laura Smith
Town Clerk
Agenda
Agenda of the meeting to be held on the 26th February 2024 at 7pm at Macclesfield Town Hall.
This meeting is open to the public, but space may be limited. Should you wish to attend please inform the Town Clerk by Thursday 22nd February 2024 5pm.
1 Apologies for Absence
2 Declarations of Interest
To receive declarations of interests from members relevant to items under discussion at the meeting.
Public Questions
The meeting will be adjourned to invite comments and questions from the public.
The meeting will then be reconvened.
3 Minutes of the Finance Committee Meeting held on 13th November 2023
Action: To approve the minutes.
4 Updates from the Minutes
Action: To note any actions.
5 Grant Applications
5.1 Civic Society £240
5.2 Cre8 £2000
5.3 Crucial Crew £2000
5.4 Just Drop In £830
5.5 Macclesfield College £2000
5.6 Moss Rose Scouts £2000
Total amount £9070
Action: To consider the above grant applications
.
6 Grant Updates
6.1 Friends for Leisure
To note the report.
6.2 Macc Wild Network
To note the report.
6.3 Roenaissance
To note the report.
6.4 Space 4 Autism
To note the report.
7 Ward Budgets
7.1 Hurdsfield
7.2 East Ward
7.3 Tytherington Ward
8 Finances
8.1 Spend to Date
Action: The spend to date (Dec 23) of £712,275 to be approved for Full Council 25th March 2024.
8.2 Reports
Action: The following reports were noted:
8.2.1 Income and Expenditure
8.2.2 Bank Reconciliation
8.2.3 Receipts and Payments
8.2.4 Authorised Payments
9 Date/Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Finance Committee will be held at 7pm on 20th May 2024 at Macclesfield Town Hall.
3. Finance Committee Minutes 13th November 2023
5.1 Civic Society Grant Application
5.3 Crucial Crew Grant Application
5.4 Just Drop In Grant Application
5.5 Macc College Grant Application
5.6 Moss Rose Scouts Grant Application
6.1 Friends for Leisure grant feedback
6.2 Macc Wild Network grant feedback
6.3 Roenaissance project grant update
6.4 Space 4 Autism grant feedback
8.2.1 Detailed Income & Expenditure by Budget Heading 31_12_2023
Macclesfield Town Council Finance Committee Minutes
In attendance:
- Cllr Ruth Thompson
- Cllr Chris Wilcock
- Cllr Mike Hutchison
- Cllr Sarah Bennett- Wake
- Cllr Alift Harewood
1 Apologies for Absence
- Cllr Emma Gilman
- Cllr Neil Puttick
2 Declarations of Interest
Cllr Bennett-Wake pecuniary interest in 7.1 as she is works at Green in the Corner.
Cllr Wilcock non pecuniary interest in 5.1 as he is involved the Civic Awards as the Mayor.
Cllr Thompson non pecuniary interest in 5.2 as a Trustee of Cre8.
Public Questions
The meeting was paused for public questions.
Richard Watson from the Civic Society spoke about the civic awards which the grant will go towards including new buildings and activities. Funding comes in through subscriptions and town walks. Ceramic plaques will be given to the award winners and it aids publicity and is a public celebration.
Cllr Hutchinson asked if the Macc Express had ever sponsored the awards. Keith replied that they sponsored in kind with free publicity.
Cllr Bennett-Wake asked what were the 3 top awards in recent times, the reply was the Flower House, the Town Council for the blooms and the Crossings development by Peaks and Plains.
Emily Gunnion from Cre8 talked about how the grant is to renew the cooking equipment, for a group born out of the covid lockdowns, based at St. Barnabas Church for a cooking community on a Friday night. Food is also provided on a Tuesday to the community group in the warm spaces and training and cooking skills are taught.
Jeff an attendee said how much it had helped him, and he knew other men who are widowed who it has helped socially also.
Cllr Bennett- Wake said how wonderful the project was, she asked if they were buying airfryers and Emily said they were buying a range of equipment that people have at home.
Cllr Wilcock said there was equipment the Council had paid for that could be repurposed, the Town Clerk will sort out.
Cllr Mike Hutchison asked how many people were attending, which is about 8. He also asked about the dishwashers- one is to go in St Barnabas and one to go at Cre8.
Cllr Harewood commended Cre8 on the project.
Dan Boneham spoke of their grant to run Crucial Crew events, which are multi agency safety events for year 6 children. Planning to run event 15th April – 24th April 2024, this grant will go towards transport and venue costs.
Cllr Wilcock asked where the event would be held, the answer was the Rugby Club.
Cllr Hutchison asked how many kids attended and the answer was over 800.
Cllr Thompson asked about the handbook and had they looked at digital options. Dan said they have looked at apps, but that the handbooks were better, but the teachers have a portal they can use with the whiteboards.
Cllr Bennett-Wake felt the handbooks were great as not all children have access to devices.
Cllr Hutchison asked about evaluation, Dan provided an evaluation report to the Cllrs.
Ann Wright, attended from Just Drop In, for young people, this grant is for ‘Have Your Say’ day which is all about young people’s participation. This is held in conjunction with the Silk Museum. The grant is to help fund 3 of the activities and it is open to all young people.
Cllr Bennett-Wake thanked Ann for the wonderful work they do with young people, she said its very commendable that they were looking for their opinions.
She asked how many young people they support, which is over 1000 annually, and 56% of them were from Macclesfield.
Cllr Hutchison asked about how many people will attend and the target is 50 young people. The young people’s opinion will make up part of the strategy for Just Drop In.
Cllr Hutchison said the council were very keen to get the views of young people and Ann said she was more than happy to put that on the agenda for the day.
Macclesfield College grant was to provide outdoor equipment so students can have fun when not in class. They would like to have a outdoor table tennis table, this is something the students have wanted, it will help them get outside and aid wellbeing.
The site also includes the Academy and Park Lane School, and they can also use it.
Cllr Hutchison said as an ex teacher they had them at his school and they had ones that folded up and could go outside. He asked how would the bats and balls be loaned, and also that there is a large period of the summer when they were not in college.
The college will provide some bats and balls but they can also bring their own. They are keen to build a league,
Cllr Harewood asked if the area would be lit if it was dark, and Betty replied that it would be in the lunch times and there are 3 lunch times as they are staggered. Cllr Harewood asked how many months of the year it would be used, and Betty replied that it would be used whenever it wasn’t raining. All the enrichment clubs at the moment were indoor.
Cllr Wilcock said he went to the college and there wasn’t much to do in the break times and therefore he would support this proposal.
Moss Rose Scouts, Victor Crawford, Treasurer, spoke of their grant which is to buy a secure storage shed, they use Christ the King School and now there is no longer enough room as they get more equipment. There is an area at the school where they can put the shed but there needs to be some land prep and the £2000 budget would cover 2/3rds of the cost. They would also be able to bring some tents down from Barnswood, so they can do tent pitching closer to home.
Cllr Willcock commended the work of the scouts and understood the need to have the storage and is fully supportive.
Cllr Bennett-Wake asked if they planned to grow the group and Victor said this was the plan, but they needed parent helpers and leaders. And they have talked about Squirrel groups, which would be for the very young children.
3 Minutes of the Finance Committee Meeting held on 13th November 2023
Resolved: The minutes were approved.
4 Updates from the Minutes
Resolved: There were no updates.
5 Grant Applications
Resolved:
5.1 Civic Society £240 was approved.
5.2 Cre8 £2000 was approved.
5.3 Crucial Crew £2000 was approved.
5.4 Just Drop In £830 was approved.
5.5 Macclesfield College £2000 was approved.
5.6 Moss Rose Scouts £2000 was approved.
.
6 Grant Updates
6.1 Friends for Leisure
6.2 Macc Wild Network
6.3 Roenaissance
6.4 Space 4 Autism
The reports were noted.
7 Ward Budgets
7.1 Hurdsfield
7.2 East Ward
7.3 Tytherington Ward
The ward budgets were approved.
8 Finances
8.1 Spend to Date
Resolved: The spend to date (Dec 23) of £712,275 was approved for Full Council 25th March 2024.
8.2 Reports
Resolved: The following reports were noted:
8.2.1 Income and Expenditure
8.2.2 Bank Reconciliation
8.2.3 Receipts and Payments
8.2.4 Authorised Payments
9 Date/Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Finance Committee will be held at 7pm on 20th May 2024 at Macclesfield Town Hall.