WADHURST PARISH COUNCIL
THE MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
HELD AT THE PAVILION, SPARROWS GREEN ON THURSDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2008 AT 20:00

Present: Councillors Price (Chairman), Doyle, Mrs Monaghan, Standley and Wheeler.

1.             TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES AND REASONS FOR ABSENCE
Apology received from Cllr. Mrs Pearman; reason noted and accepted.

2.             TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF MEETING 18.10.07
Resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held 18.10.07 as a true record.

3.             MATTERS ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING FOR NOTING
It was noted that the full council had approved a grant of £1500 to Wadhurst Institute Hall & Field, subject to the production of acceptable management accounts to December 2007.

4.             PUBLIC FORUM
None.

5.             TO RECEIVE PRESENTATION ON FINANCIAL RECORD SYSTEMS AND CONSIDER EXPENDITURE
Presentation received from Clerk on financial record systems. Cllrs. put forward some additional requirements; agreement was given in principle to recommend incurring expenditure to upgrade current system.

6.             TO REVIEW CURRENT YEAR EXPENDITURE AND FORECAST TO YEAR END.
Expenditure to end of December reviewed; overspend in general admin is due to cost of election at £5000 which was not within budget. An additional payment of £30K has been made to the outstanding loan. It is anticipated that there will be unallocated reserves of £38K at the end of the financial year.

7.             TO RECOMMEND TRANSFER TO RESERVES
It was recommended that the following items, which are included within the budget, are transferred to Reserves:

• £5000      tennis courts sinking fund
• £1000      churchyard provision

Further transfers of £2500 for conservation lighting and £2500 for future recreation ground maintenance projects will be finalised if there is scope within the respective committee budgets at the year end.

8.             TO RECOMMEND RE-APPOINTMENT OF INTERNAL AUDITOR
It was agreed to recommend the re-appointment of John Roberts as internal auditor for 2008/09.

9.             TO REVIEW CARETAKER DUTIES AND CROSS-COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS
The caretaker is retiring at the end of April. A list of duties has been drawn up for the recreation ground site. Discussion on the possibility of using a caretaker for additional duties to assist other committees; it was considered that some flexibility would be of benefit to the council.

10.          TO CONSIDER DELEGATION OF DUTIES TO COMMITTEES AND REVIEW COMMITTEE REMITS AND STANDING ORDERS
Discussion on the possibility of delegating duties to committees and the need for the full council to be involved in the decision making process. Item deferred for further discussion.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 21:30.