Minutes

Burton-in-Lonsdale Parish Council,

Friday 29th May 2009, in the Village Hall

 

Present: Cllrs. Burns (Chairman), Handley, Hird, Mason, and Salrein; District Cllrs. Barrington and Camacho, PC McClurg (part)

In attendance: The Clerk.

Apologies: Cllr. Whitworth, County Councillor Ireton.

 

It was noted no-one has come forward to be co-opted as councillor.  Clerk to re-advertise vacancy.

 

1.          Declarations of interest (if any) re this meeting; signing of Declarations Book; changes to be updated on Register of Members’ Interests

There were no declarations of interest.

 

2.          Minutes of the Parish Council Recreation Committee meeting of 15th April,  Parish Council meeting of 23rd April 2009, and Finance Committee meeting of 19th May 2009.

The Minutes for the above meeting were circulated to all councillors prior to this meeting and taken as read.

Resolved

The Minutes for the above meetings were accepted as a fair record.  The Chairman signed and dated the Minutes. Copies of the Minutes were made available for the Village Hall Notice Board.

 

3.          Public Questions or Statements.  None

 

4.          Matters Arising from the Minutes of 15th April and 23rd April 2009, and 19th May 2009 if not on this Agenda.

There were no matters arising.

 

5.          Police matters

PC McClurg reported investigations are on-going regarding the recent Post Office robberies at Burton and Cowan Bridge; a serious robbery occurred in Long Preston on Monday 25th May; police very busy elsewhere in area and have not been able to monitor traffic speeds. There will be road closures in Ingleton during the weekend of July 3-5th for the Home Guard event.

 

6.          Finance Matters

a)   Bank balances as at 19th May 2009

The Clerk presented the bank balances as at 19th April 2009 with a schedule of commitments and payments. (Appendix 1).  A slightly different layout, showing unspent items carried forward from previous years, together with budget vs. actual expenditure by month and for the year to date now included, following recommendations of the internal auditor, and the Finance Committee.

 

b)   Payments of budgeted and non budgeted items.

Resolved

To authorise payments on behalf of the Parish Council as per Appendix 1

 

c)   Annual Accounts 2008-9:

·         Internal Audit report.

The Clerk reported a satisfactory audit by Internal Auditor (see Appendix 2)

·         Finance Committee Report and recommendations.

i) monthly financial information to include budget vs. actual expenditure information to aide expenditure monitoring.

ii) conduct a financial risk assessment exercise on an annual basis.

Resolved

To adopt the above recommendations.

·         Annual Statutory Return: approval of accounts and signing of Return The Annual Accounts were circulated to councillors before the meeting and taken as read. There were no questions; it was

Resolved

The Annual Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2009 as per appendix 3 be agreed, and the Annual Return, as per Appendix 4 be agreed and signed by the Chairman and RFO (the Clerk) and submitted to the external auditor by 30th June 2009. (It was also agreed the minor correction be approved.)

 

d)   Annual Financial Risk Management review & recommendations

The Clerk reported the council has libel and slander, and officials fidelity insurance for £250,000.  A full financial risk management assessment will be reviewed at the next meeting.

 

e)   Annual Risk Assessment review and recommendations

A full review of physical risks will be done for the next meeting’s consideration.

 

7.       Reports

County, District and Parish Councillors

·         District Cllr. Barrington reported the CDC Waste Review is underway until 5th July.  There are four proposals for different types/timings of waste collections, and a fifth option of collecting residual waste fortnightly.  Everyone’s views are invited, including ideas about collection boxes/bins.

·         District Cllr. Camacho reported the new CDC Chief Executive is creating a new management structure and streamlining Heads of Services from 17 to 9.  The Head of Planning, Waste Management and Environmental Services (Colin Walker) will be leaving.

·         Following the controversial £2 million loan taken by CDC’s financial officer during the last financial year, all delegated spending powers are under review.

 

8.35pm: District Cllrs. Barrington and Camacho left the meeting.

 

Parish Councillor Reports. There were no reports

 

Clerk.  The Annual Accounts have been completed and audited; enquiries regarding Mill Hill in relation to Bentham Common lands Charity are on-going.

 

YLCA: Nothing to report.

Woodland Trust: Nothing to report.

 

Village Hall Committee: Cllr Salrein reported  a joint event with the Village Shop Association is taking place on July 12th.  The village hall’s speakers are still being repaired.

 

Joint Access and Rights of Way Committee: Meeting on 9th June at 6pm; Cllr Mason sends her apologies.

 

Bentham Common Lands Charity

Resolved

Clerk to write to the BCLC Secretary to get written confirmation regarding the appointment of the parish council’s representative and the other Trustees; also to request Bentham Town Council do the same.

 

8.       Recreation Field

a)      Play Area Maintenance: maintenance programme for 2009 including annual safety inspection

·  Last inspection: a slat on one of the play area’s seats is loose and should be monitored.

·  The road side stone wall between the portacabins and the Bowling Club’s pitch has collapsed;

Resolved

Clerk to examine wall, and contact stone waller known to Cllr. Mason regarding repairs.

 

b)      Hot Air Balloon Flight Vouchers: progress report

Clerk to continue to pursue matter, as not yet resolved.

 

9.       Riverside Land Maintenance

Wooden Posts alongside track at entrance: the posts have been inspected, and appear to be satisfactory at present (i.e. prevent vehicles encroaching on grass areas at entrance to land).

Resolved

The matter was not regarded as urgent at this juncture; however, the posts would be monitored for wear and tear as a matter of course.

 

Clerk reported resident who had requested permission to cut some branches down to enable better television reception has indicated improved reception thus far.  A better idea of reception quality will be gained at the end of June when the trees are in full leaf.

 

10.  Village Street Lighting: request to consider additional lighting between the Village Green and the Primary School

High Street lighting provision was discussed: four lights between the Village Green and the School, four lights between High Street/Chapel Lane junction and Townend. Additional lighting requires new electrical supply, (United Utilities no longer allows lighting to be attached to supply poles. This is costly. Although it is desirable to augment lighting, it is considered a greater priority to plan existing lighting replacement, due to the concrete supporting posts’ age, which are showing signs of spalling, and being monitored.

 

 

11.   Craven District Council

a) Planning Matters

   “Southfork” – removal of caravan – progress report

Clerk reported the owner has been given until the end of the month to remove the caravan before further action will be taken.

 

b) Consultation: Changing the District & Parish Electoral Cycle: comments by 12th June 2009.

After some discussion it was

Resolved

There was no objection to changing the electoral cycle as proposed.

 

12.            North Yorkshire County Council

There were no items.

 

13.            Correspondence: there were no urgent items.

 

14. Items to be included by Clerk in press release re the meeting.

Clerk to make short report including Annual Accounts, Play Area inspection, village street lighting, etc.

 

15.            Date, time and venue of next monthly Parish Council Meeting

Resolved

The next two meetings will be held on 2nd and 30th July respectively.

 

 

The meeting closed at 9.30pm.

 

 

 

 

 

Signed   …………………………………………..        Dated   ……………………..

 

 

 


Appendix 1

Bank Balances, Commitments and Payments for May 2009

NatWest Current Account at 19.05.09

300.00

NatWest Business Reserve Account at 19.05.09

11,738.64

NatWest Bonus Saver Account at 31.03.09

7,150.72

 

 

 

19,189.36

Less

Unpresented cheques

194.20

 

 

 

18,995.16

Commitments at 19th May 2009

 

Contingency Fund

2,000.00

Very Old & Separate Churchyard Lych Gate Restoration (200 +500)

700.00

VOSCY Safety Notice

150.00

VOSCY memorial safety inspections

600.00

Burton Regeneration Group set aside in 2005/6, 2006/7

3,334.00

Carried Forward from 2006/7 budget/precept:

 

Play Equipment

900.00

Street Lighting renewals

1,000.00

Carried Forward from 2007/8 budget/precept

 

Firework Event

100.00

Travel

50.00

Carried Forward from 2008/9 budget/precept:

 

Street Light Maintenance re-sched for 2009-10

580.00

Street Light renewals

1,000.00

Minute Book Binding

50.00

Parish Plan Expenses

100.00

Clerk's Retirement Gratuity & pension provision starting 2007/8

836.00

Village Transport Needs Survey grant money

202.00

2009-10 Budget remaining  at 28.05.09: approx. inc unspent items

9,252.45

 

20,854.45

Cash at Bank 31.03.10

-1,859.29

Add

2nd tranche precept

5,250.00

Cash at Bank 31.03.10

3,390.71

 

 

 

 

Parish Council - Payments May 2009

 

1447

29.05.09

Yorkshire Internal Audit

200.00

1448

29.05.09

Yorkshire Water 1st qrtr

10.78

1449

29.05.09

NYCC (re street light maintenance 2008-9)

135.00

1450

29.05.09

E.On (portacabin electric supply April/May 09)

45.20

1451

29.05.09

A Burns re brushes for repainting slide, main gates

10.00

1452

29.05.09

S Gregory (clerks salary @ £8.436/hr, May 2009)

163.34

1453

29,05.09

Allianz (annual insurance premium)

690.21

1454

29.05.09

Rural Action Yorkshire (YRCC)

35.00

1455

29.05.09

Yorks & North Yorks Playing Fields Assoc (subs)

12.50

 

 

 

1,302.03

Total street lighting renewals: £2,000

 

Appendix 1 (cont’d)

Precept 2009 - 10 = £10,500

2009-10

Exp to

 Apr

 May

 

Budget

 Date

09

09

Utilities: electricity for street lights

700

160

160

 

Maintenance

 

 

 

 

Street Lights

400

135

 

135

Seats

230

0

 

 

Maintenance Riverside Land, Village Green, Verges

540

0

 

 

Xmas Tree for Village Green

210

0

 

 

Maint. VOSCY(280)  incl. memorials (250)

324

0

 

 

Renewals: Street Lights

1,000

0

 

 

Subscriptions

230

48

 

48

Insurance (excl.  portacabin)

685

690

 

690

Hire of Village Hall

140

0

 

 

Elections

0

0

 

 

Sundries (incl. war memorial maint. £50)

200

0

 

 

Additional items:

0

0

 

 

Annual Audit (external & internal)

320

200

 

200

S/137 (max £5.64/elector: 500 electors = £2,820)

500

0

 

 

donations to village organisations, inc Shop

 

 

 

 

Donations other than s137

 

 

 

 

Recreation Field

 

 

 

 

portacabin water, electric

230

305

249

56

portacabin insurance

0

0

 

 

Play Area Equipment inspection, maint.

1,000

10

 

10

Grass Cuts on play area, verge, portacabin, rubbish,

405

40

40

 

Summer Grass Cutting

150

0

 

 

Firework event

0

0

 

 

Administration

 

 

 

 

Petty Cash

50

0

 

 

Training fees

 

0

 

 

Travel

 

0

 

 

Telephone

50

0

 

 

Print

280

0

 

 

Computer Services @£115/qrtr net

460

0

 

 

Clerk's Salary 220hrs x £8.436/hr + ann. leave)

1,892

332

169

163

Clerks Use of home, heat, light @ £3.00/week

156

0

 

 

Clerk's use of home: file storage @ £ 4/week

208

0

 

 

Clerk's Gratuity part, total payable after 9.11.2012

813

0

 

 

Minutes Binding

0

0

 

 

Parish Plan Expenses

0

0

 

 

 

11,173

1,921

619

1302

Budget remaining at month end:

 

 

10554

9252

 

 

 

Appendix 2

 

YORKSHIRE INTERNAL AUDIT SERVICES

 

NORTH YORKSHIRE

TELEPHONE  01423 797817

 

 

Mrs. S Gregory,

Clerk to Burton in Lonsdale Parish Council,

Bleaberry House,

Duke Street,

Burton in Lonsdale,

Carnforth,

Lancaster.

LA6 3LG

 

Dear Mrs. Gregory,

 

 Burton in Lonsdale Parish Council– Audit for year end 31st March 2009

 

Susan, as promised, below is a report on my recent audit of Burton in Lonsdale Parish Council.

 

Annual Return

 

I have carried out the final audit of the council for 2008/9, and I am pleased to inform you that I have signed off section 4 of the audit commission return as required.

 

Bank Accounts.

 

The bank accounts were checked, and your bank reconciliation of the Parish Council current account for 31st March 2009 was agreed. All other bank accounts were checked and agreed .The overall total of the bank balances was £13414.62.

 

Vouching.

 

Parish Council invoices were vouched for April and March. All were found to be correctly recorded.

 

General

 

I reviewed the other records supplied and found them to be well maintained and accurate.   I should like to thank you for your warm welcome and look forward to my next visit.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

Terry Flatters.

Appendix 3

Annual Accounts

Receipts and Payments

Year Ended 31st March 2009

 

31.03.08

 

31.03.09

 

 

Receipts

 

 

11,500.00

Precept

10,500.00

 

390.11

Bank Interest

256.45

 

25.00

Sundry Income

594.03

1

0.00

Grants

0.00

 

133.09

Insurance Refunds

0.00

 

0.00

Hire Fees

0.00

 

0.00

Miscellaneous

0.00

 

535.81

VAT Received

339.86

 

12,584.01

Total Income

11,690.34

 

 

 

 

 

 

Payments

 

 

3,331.68

Administration

2,965.12

2

1,000.00

Section 137 Payments

900.00

3

759.75

Utilities excl Rec Field

777.21

 

981.26

Street Lights Maintenance

0.00

 

1,694.25

Maintenance

1,010.79

4

529.39

Rec Field committee

762.25

5

255.50

Subscriptions

424.50

6

624.75

Insurances

646.83

 

150.00

Room Hire

150.00

 

285.00

Audit Fees

285.00

 

1,667.00

Donations

75.00

 

59.75

Sundries

200.00

7

0.00

Miscellaneous

760.50

8

25.00

Petty Cash

25.00

 

339.86

VAT Paid

370.51

 

 

 

 

 

11,703.19

Total Expenditure

9,352.71

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cumulative Fund Balance

 

 

 

 

 

 

10,196.17

Balance brought forward

11,076.99

 

12,584.01

Add total receipts

11,690.34

 

 

 

 

 

22,780.18

 

22,767.33

 

 

 

 

 

11,703.19

Less total payments

9,352.71

 

 

 

 

 

11,076.99

Balance carried forward

13,414.62

 

 

Appendix 4

 

Bank Accounts Reconciliation for the year ended 31st March 2009

 

Balance brought forward:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Account

1.4.08

300.00

 

Business Reserve A/c

1.4.08

5,819.69

 

Bonus Saver Account

1.4.08

7,026.32

 

O/S cheques

1.4.08

-2,069.02

11,076.99

 

 

 

 

Add: Receipts

 

11,690.34

 

 

 

 

11,690.34

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

22,767.33

 

 

 

 

Payments

 

 

 

April-June

3,346.29

 

 

July Sept

1679.05

 

 

Oct - Dec

1,190.88

 

 

Jan - Mar

3,136.49

 

 

 

 

 

9,352.71

 

 

 

 

 

balance c/f

 

13,414.62

 

 

 

 

Bank Reconciliation at 31st March 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

Business Reserve a/c

6,758.82

 

 

Bonus Saver a/c

7,150.72

 

 

Current a/c

435.00

 

 

 

14,344.54

 

 

 

 

 

 

Less o/s cheques

-929.92

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13,414.62

 

 

 

 

 

The above statement represents fairly the financial

position of the authority as at 31st March 2009 and

reflects its income and expenditure during the year.

 

Approved by Council on…………………………..

 

 

Responsible Financial Officer

 

Chairman

 

 

Annual Return

 

Statement of Accounts

2008-2009

 

 

 

 

Last Year

This Year

2007-8

2008-9

 

 

1

Balances Brought Forward

10,196

11,085

2

Annual Precept

11,500

10,500

3

Total Other Receipts*

1,074

1,190

4

Staff Costs

1,846

1,897

5

Loan Interest/Capital Payments

0

0

6

Total Other Payments

9,857

7,456

7

Balances Carried Forward

11,085

13,415

8

Total Cash and Investments

11,085

13,415

9

Total Fixed Assets

29,646

31,426

10

Total Borrowings

0

0

 

*Item corrected and approved.

 

 

Variances over 15% for items 6, 7, & 8

Item 6:

Street Light maintenance not paid during year; subscriptions paid earlier in cycle; reduced community donations

 

Item 7:

Combination of slightly increased receipts, together with reduced payments (see above)

 

Item 8:

Combination of slightly increased receipts, together with reduced payments (see above)