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
1st November 2024
To Chair Cllr Ruth Thompson and Councillors Sarah Bennett-Wake, Emma Gilman, Alift Harewood-Jones, Mike Hutchison 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
11th November 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 11th November 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 7th November 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 15th July 2024
3. Finance Committee Minutes 15th July 2024
Action: To approve the minutes.
4 Updates from the Minutes
Action: To note any actions.
5 Grant Applications
5.1 Upton Youth and Community Project £2000
5.1 Upton Youth and Community Grant Application
5.2 Cheshire Without Abuse £680
5.3 P3 Charity £245
5.3 P3 Charity Grant Application
5.4 Puss Bank School £122.40
5.4 Puss Bank School Grant Application
5.5 Tuesday Group £1800
5.5 Tuesday Group Grant Application
Total Amount requested: £4847.40
Action: To consider the above grant applications
.
6 Grant Updates
6.1 Child Safety Media
6.1 Child Safety Media Grant Feedback
6.2 MS Society
6.2 MS society – interim update
6.3 Space 4 Autism
6.3 Space 4 Autism grant update
6.4 ROAR
6.5 St Peters Church
6.5 St Peter’s Church grant feedback
6.6 Moss Rose Scouts
6.6 Moss Rose scouts grant feedback
6.7 MS CAS
6.7 MS CAS Grant feedback form
6.8 Cr8
6.8 Cre8 Grant feedback form – interim
To note the reports
7 Budget 2025/26
Action: To approve the budget for Full Council 16th December 2024.
8 Date/Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Finance Committee will be held at 7pm on 3rd March 2025 at Macclesfield Town Hall.
Macclesfield Town Council Finance Committee
Minutes
Minutes of the meeting held on the 11th November 2024 at 7pm at Macclesfield Town Hall.
In Attendance:
- Cllr Ruth Thompson
- Cllr Alift Harewood
- Cllr Mike Hutchison
- Cllr Chris Wilcock
1 Apologies for Absence
- Cllr Bennett-Wake
- Cllr Emma Gilman
2 Declarations of Interest
Cllr Wilcock declared a non-pecuniary interest in 5.1 as he was involved with CORE in lockdown.
Public Questions
There were no public speakers (apart from grant applicants as agenda item 5.
With regard to agenda item 5.1 Cllr Gilman sent the following questions, these were read out by the Clerk:
Are you a food bank or a reduce food waste group? In my experience, you charge £3.50 for people to come along and select 15 items from your ‘pantry’.
Anyone can access your service, as long as they have registered. There is no referral process, it is open to all. This is a positive thing and I am in support of reducing food waste.
However, your grant request mentions purchasing top up food. If you are looking to reduce food waste, why would you purchase more food?
As you are not limited to ‘referred’ families and anyone (regardless of financial situations) is able to access your service, are you not running the risk of paying money to buy food which you are then making available to users to purchase at a massively subsidised rate, when in fact they could have afforded to buy it at full price? I am unable to agree to a grant that uses public money to purchase top up food, which will potentially be ‘bought’ by those that have no financial need for this.
The reply was that they buy tinned, from a company called Banquet, for a reduced price as they buy in bulk. There is no referral process, apart from they must live on the estate.
Michaela East attended from CWA on agenda item 5.2. Cllr Hutchison asked about capacity and Michaela said the group is at full capacity. Cllr Harewood asked if people who attend don’t come back? Michaela said that, they have many success stories and it varies as people attend as many sessions as they need.
Lauren attended from P3, on agenda item 5.3. Cllr Hutchison asked about capacity. Lauren said there are 13 at the moment and the funding had some spare equipment built in. Cllr Harewood asked where the young people lived and Lauren explained that they stayed in P3 flats supported living.
Cllr Hutchison spoke on 5.4 in favour of this project due to the decline in access to dentist treatment. Cllr Harewood asked why there was no parent input.
Mick Warren attended on item 5.5. Cllr Hutchison asked about the reserves and Mick said that will be used for materials to make hats for newborns and goods to donate to East Cheshire Hospice.
3 Minutes of the Finance Committee Meeting held on 15th July 2024
Resolved: The minutes were approved.
4 Updates from the Minutes
Resolved: There were no actions.
5 Grant Applications
5.1 Upton Youth and Community Project £2000
Resolved: The grant of £2000 was approved.
5.2 Cheshire Without Abuse £680
Resolved: The grant for £680 was approved.
5.3 P3 Charity £245
Resolved: The grant of £245 was approved.
5.4 Puss Bank School £122.40
Resolved: The grant of £122.40 was approved.
5.5 Tuesday Group £1800
Resolved: The grant of £1800 was approved.
6 Grant Updates
6.1 Child Safety Media
6.2 MS Society
6.3 Space 4 Autism
6.4 ROAR
6.5 St Peters Church
6.6 Moss Rose Scouts
6.7 MS CAS
6.8 Cr8
The reports were noted.
7 Budget 2025/26
Resolved: The budget was approved for Full Council on 16th December 2024 with the following amendments:
- To increase Remembrance budget to £12000 to include the potential for a big screen at the Cenotaph, if this is possible.
- To include £2700 for footfall data.
8 Date/Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Finance Committee will be held at 7pm on 3rd March 2025 at Macclesfield Town Hall.
Chair: Cllr Ruth Thompson
Clerk: Laura Smith
Meeting Closed: 7.55pm