Macclesfield Town Council
Finance Committee Minutes 30th November 2020
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 30th November 2020 at 7.00pm
In attendance:
- Cllr Chris Wilcock
- Cllr Alift Harewood MBE
- Cllr Fiona Wilson
- Cllr Neil Puttick
- Cllr Mike Hutchison
- Cllr Sarah Bennett-Wake
1. Election of Chair and Vice Chair
Following the review of committee membership at full Council on 28/09/2020, the chair and vice chair were re-elected.
1.1 The Committee elected Cllr Puttick as the Chair.
1.2 The Committee elected Cllr Wilson as the Vice Chair
2. Apologies for Absence
None
3. Declarations of Interest
Cllr Puttick declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 7.9 as he applied to Healthbox for a slow cooker initiative and item 8.1 as he is a member of Scoops and Scales and helps them with their work.
Cllr Wilcock declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 7.4 as he is a volunteer for WHAM.
Cllr Bennettt-Wake declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 8.1 as she is a member of Scoops and Scales
Cllr Wilson declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 7.1 as she attends SPARK meetings as a Ward Councillor.
PUBLIC QUESTIONS
The meeting was adjourned to invite comments and questions from the public.
Averil Goodier, CEO of the Disability Information Bureau spoke about the grant application they have submitted, which is to combat digital exclusion as part of a delivery of the ‘In the Know’ project. She informed the group that there is a need to train and support people to get online, particularly during this pandemic, where so many services are offered online. Their service will train people to get GP’s appointments and do consultations online and order shopping or prescriptions.
The meeting was then reconvened.
4. Minutes of the Meeting of the Finance Committee on 14th September 2020
RESOLVED: That the minutes are approved as a true record of the meeting
5. Matters Arising from the Minutes
5.1. Feedback from Macclesfield Music Centre Concert was noted to be taken under Agenda Item 8.2
6. Review Terms of Reference
RESOLVED: The Terms of Reference for the Finance Committee were agreed to be approved by Full Council on 14th December 2020.
7. Grant Applications
7.1 SPARK grant request for £250.
RESOLVED: That the grant of £250 is approved.
7.2 Silklife Foodbank grant request for £2000
RESOLVED: That a grant of up to £2,000 is approved subject to more information to be sought from the applicant:
- What the bags will be made of and will they be branded with the Silklife Foodbank logo as well as the Macclesfield Town Council logo.
- Where the bags will be purchased from. The Town Council always encourages local procurement from local suppliers wherever possible.
- Provision of detailed costings of the bags and how many food parcels they will be able to hold. Is there a system that can be put in place to ensure that clients can bring back their bags to be re-filled rather than giving repeat clients more bags each week? The Town Council are committed to sustainability and less waste in every situation possible.
- That the final approval to release the grant is delegated to the Chair and Deputy Chair of this committee.
7.3 Disability Information Bureau grant request for £1996
RESOLVED: That the grant of £1996 is approved
7.4 WHAM grant for £2000
RESOLVED: That the grant of £2000 is approved
7.5 The Hope Centre grant request for £2000
RESOLVED: That the grant of £2000 is approved
7.6 Calvary Church grant request for £1000
RESOLVED: That the grant of £1000 is approved
7.7 Princes Trust grant request for £250
RESOLVED: That the grant of £250 is approved
7.8 East Cheshire Hospice grant request for £2000
RESOLVED: That the grant of £2000 is approved
7.9 Healthbox grant request for £1820
RESOLVED: The Committee seeks further information from the applicant:
- The time period the project will cover.
- The area or cohort the grant will cover or target.
- A list of the facilities and venues will they be using and an assurance that they will be Covid secure.
- A copy of food hygiene certificates in place for the project.
- More information that there is a need that is not covered by other food providing organisations in Macclesfield.
- 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.
8. Grant Updates
8.1 Scoops and Scales Update
The Grant updates were noted, and Councillors thanked the group for their work.
8.2 Macclesfield Music Centre Update
The Grant updates were noted, and Councillors thanked the group for their work.
9. Ward Budgets
RESOLVED: Ward Budgets, amounts and process of application were approved for recommendation to Council as part of the Budget on 14th December 2020.
10. Micro Grants
RESOLVED: Micro Grants, amounts and process of application were approved for recommendation to Council as part of the Budget on 14th December 2020.
11. 2021/22 Budget Setting
The Town Clerk talked through the Budget Version 3 for 20/21 highlighting the key changes as follows:
- To put the £100,000, we committed in the budget for Community Transport which has not been spent because of the pandemic into Ear Marked Reserves to show commitment to this project.
- To put £40000 in Ear Marked Reserves for a Conservation Review and Character Assessment, which was budgeted for this year but has been delayed due to Covid, and thus may not be paid this year.
- To carry over a further approx £30000 from a projected underspend on this year’s 2021/21 budget. On the 2021/22 budget this will be marked as income from general reserves. This will go towards the following:
- For Civic Awards which could not take place this year 2020/21 due to Covid.
- Towards the Remembrance budget 2020/21 for the oncoming year as we could not hold a public Remembrance event.
- Towards Projects and Events.
- Towards the Covid Recovery Fund.
Budget 2021/22
- Increase in Staffing resources including Events and Communication Officer.
- 2 Kickstart posts – potentially 4 over the year (funding will come from Government see point further down entitled Employment of 2 Young People).
- Increase in Ranger resources to 3 full time Rangers
- Although an increase we will no longer pay for a seasonal ranger or plant watering.
- The extra Ranger support will allow us to support and maintain the allotments more.
- Introduction of Ward Budgets.
- A new Covid Fund – to assist with issues with Covid that may arise. We believe this will very much continue to be an issue into next year.
- An SLA for Voluntary Sector Support.
- An increase in Grant for CAB as they have increased referrals.
Members discussed the draft budget at length. Cllr Wilson also proposed:
- 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.
- 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.
RESOLVED: That the draft 2020/21 budget with points i and ii is circulated as version 4 and is recommended to Council for approval and adoption.
12. Online Banking
RESOLVED: The procedure for Online banking payments is approved for recommendation to Council on 14th December 2020.
13. Spend to Date
The list of authorised payments was noted.
RESOLVED: The spend to date of £423,503 for recommendation to Council was approved.
14. Member Items
None
15. Date, Time, and Place of Next Meeting
The date of the next meeting of the Finance Committee is 7pm, 15th March 2021 format/venue to be confirmed subject to C-19 restrictions and related regulations
Meeting Closed: 8:39pm
Chair Cllr Neil Puttick
Clerk Laura Smith
