Finance and General Purposes Working Party Meeting Minutes 12 February 2025

1/1202. RECEIVE ANY DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Christmas Smile - Cllrs K. Hardy and K. Bonsall.
Finance & General-Purpose Working Party - Cllrs J. Stephenson, K. Hardy, K. Bonsall, N. McGuiness and P. Dackombe.
Friends of the Earth - Cllr K. Hardy.
Labour Party Member - Cllr J. Stephenson.
Mansfield District Council Planning Committee - Cllr J. Stephenson.
Meden Medical Services PPG - Cllr K. Bonsall.
Staffing Working Party - Cllrs J. Stephenson, K. Hardy, K. Bonsall, N. McGuiness and P. Dackombe.
Swallows Green - Cllr J. Stephenson.
Vibrant Warsop Subcontractor - Cllr P. Dackombe.
Warsop Carnival Committee - Cllrs P. Dackombe, K. Bonsall and J. Stephenson.
WPC Room Hire (Ferocious Dog) - Cllr K. Bonsall.

The above additions have been made - Cllr Stephenson declared an interest in Swallows Green.

2/1202. APOLOGIES

Cllr P. Dackombe. There is still a vacancy for the F&GP working Party.

RECOMMENDED: Ask full council if any other members would like to join.

3/1202. RECEIVE AN UPDATE FROM THE SOLICITOR ON THE LEASE AGREEMENT – This is the update from the council’s solicitor

I have now heard from Lifespring who’s comments below in bold:

1. I cannot see any reference to the term of the lease. My client has advised a term of 6 years was discussed. The term does also need to be included somewhere in the lease.

6 Years was the discussion. I will add it in the document

2. There is no plan referred to in the draft, or provided. There should be a plan to clearly identify the Property so there can be no dispute about the demise in the future.

I will add a copy of the plan and highlight the areas of use by the council

Additional comments/enquiries (using clause numbers referred to in the lease):

1.2. There is no mention of liability for utilities, I understand from my client these are currently included within the rent. Please confirm this will remain the case, and amend the lease if appropriate.

Utilities (Gas, Electric, Water) are covered within the rent

2.1. As above, business rates are currently included in the rent paid by our client and it understood this would remain the case. Please amend accordingly.

Business rates are covered by the landlord and I will amend accordingly

1.3. Please advise what the “fair appropriation” is that my client will be charged for services. Clauses 3.1 and 3.2 also refer. It suggests at 3.1 nothing will be claimed from my client.

The client is paying 0% Service Charge and therefore there are no charges.

4. Please confirm consent for the Council erect appropriate signage.

Yes the council can erect appropriate signage, however approval by Lifespring regarding design and position has to be given prior to erecting signs.

7. My client notes that no part of the Property can be transferred or sublet, and the Council cannot part with the whole of the Property of sub-let it without prior written consent of the Landlord. I understand from my client that is has been agreed it can hire out the Council on a short terms basis by way of a hire agreement. Whilst I appreciate this does not necessarily amount to sub-letting my client would like it reflected in the lease that they can hire out the Council Chambers to third parties.
The parish council can hire out the chambers as long as there is no relationship of landlord/tenant established and that the timescale is short term.

I am content that the comments in bold cover the points we raised satisfactorily. Please can you confirm the Council’s agreement, and I will get Liz/Lifespring to update the draft document.

Members agreed that this satisfied what the council had requested.

RECOMMENDED: Ask full council for any comments and then proceed to instruct the solicitor to contact Lifespring and agree the terms of the lease agreement.

RECOMMENDED: The council agree for two members to sign the lease agreement which will be overseen by the Clerk if the above amendments are made.

4/1202. RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON THE FUNDS IN THE TRANSAVEUK ACCOUNT

The TransaveUK account used to be the 2 Shires Credit Union account that held the capital funds of £15,000 from the sale of the shop premises formerly know as Mr Maggott Man. Information has been received that this year there will be no interest rates paid on these savings. The Clerk informed members she had already been looking at some offers from the bank last month and that it may be time for the council to consider its options.

Members discussed the possibility of moving the money to a better savings account or possibly using the money for repairs and maintenance to the council’s car park such as resurfacing it and installing a noticeboard.

5/1202. REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE QUARTERLY BUDGETS

The Chairperson opened items 5/1202, 6/1202, 7/1202, 8/1202 to be discussed altogether and move between different items depending on the conversation.

Members asked questions on payroll, section 137, professional fee’s, training, church yard, admin, car park maintenance, contingency fund and Warsop Parish News. There is a predicted spend in the final quarter of around £48,000 to £50,000 and £5,800 in reserves which would see the council come in under budget.
Members discussed a banner for Parish Council to use when attending events such as Warsop Carnival.

RECOMMENDED: Full council to ask any questions on the quarterly budget and to agree the cost of the event banner be used from the Chairpersons allowance.

6/1202. REVIEW, DISCUSS AND MAKE RECOMMEND ANY S137 APPLICATIONS

Out of 6 applications requests, 3 complete applications were received back. The Clerk did make members aware of the s137 policy and conflicts of interest due to the council potentially giving extra funding to Warsop Carnival if there were funds left over.

Friends of Warsop Vale CIC – the group are responsible for The Centre in Warsop Vale that is open to all the Parish of Warsop. A recent inspection by Mansfield Fire and Safety found that an exit door on the West Street side of the building had been vandalised.

The total cost of the project is £471.
The group have secured £300 funding.
The amount required would be £171.

RECOMMENDED: The council award £171 of s137 funding towards the repairs to the exit door.

Derbyshire Unemployed Workers Centre (DUWC) – the centre offers advice on over 40 different benefits. Although the service is a Derbyshire based service, they do provide support to a number of Warsop Parish residents every year and the s137 funding allows for residents of the parish to be seen rather than turned away due to county boundaries.
They have serviced over 67 clients with 111 service requests being carried out.
The breakdown for the amount of people seen from each ward is as follows:
Market Warsop - 14
Meden - 17
Netherfield - 10
Warsop Carrs – 26

RECOMMENDED: The council award £500 to help the centre continue to see residents from Warsop Parish.

The Oaklands Centre – the centre houses residents with learning difficulties and is a community hub for the whole parish. The centre requires new fascia’s and soffits since they are the same ones since the building was built in 1986.
The total cost of the project is £7,460.
The group have secured £5,000 funding.
The amount required would be 2,460.

RECOMMENDED: The council agree to award £1,200 as that is the remaining amount left in the s137 budget.

7/1202. DISCUSS THE CHURCH YARD AND CAR PARK TREE INSPECTION QUOTES AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION

The following 3 quotes have been retrieved.

JCA Limited
Church Yard - £1,250 +VAT
Car Park - £1,100 +VAT

Thompson Consultancy
Church Yard - £816 +VAT
Car Park - £410 +VAT

John Booth Arboricultural Consultants
Church Yard - £625
Car Park - £300

RECOMMENDED: The council use John Booth Arboricultural Consultants to undertake the tree inspections for the church yard and car park on High Street as it’s the best value for money and they have availability in February and payment can be made within the current financial year.

8/1202. DISCUSS AND RECOMMEND THE COUNCILS CONTINUED USE OF HR SERVICES FROM CHRIS MOSES

Members discussed the how the council have used Chris Moses so far and considered if paying a standing charge is the best use of council finances. Chris Moses services can be used on an ad-hoc basis or the council’s insurance provider could provide some HR advice. The job descriptions and contracts are in the final stages.

RECOMMENDED: The standing charge for HR services from Chris Moses is cancelled.

9/1202. REVIEW THE 2025-26 BUDGET AND DISCUSS AND RECOMMEND A PRECEPT AMOUNT

The Chairperson opened items 9/1202, 10/1202, 11/1202, 12/1202, 13/1202 and 14/1202 to be discussed altogether and move between different items depending on the conversation.

An in-depth discussion took place and lots of options were considered.

RECOMMENDED: Council to agree the increase from £195 to £220 for Acer Grounds Maintenance.

RECOMMENDED: Full council to decide on the precept amount but consider increasing for Warsop toilets, section 137 and CAB funding. Any underspend to replace the funds that have been removed from the contingency.

10/1202. DISCUSS A PUBLIC ENQUIRY EMAIL REGARDING ELECTRIC CAR CHARGERS

An email was sent from local resident Mrs Briggs regarding the lack of electric car chargers in the Parish. She has family who visit from further away and have no way of charging locally. She also commented that it could be detrimental to the community and attracting visitors.

RECOMMENDED: The Clerk informed Mrs Briggs that she would need to speak to MDC about 2 of the car parks but the Parish Council will seek more information on the matter.

11/1202. DISCUSS AND RECOMMEND A DECISION ON FUNDING WARSOP TOILETS

As per the information brought to council in October, the District Council are asking if the Parish Council can fund the full £12,500 to ensure the toilets stay open for another year. £9,322.63 was raised by the Parish Council last year and the outstanding amount would be £3,177.37.

RECOMMENDED: The council increase the precept to cover the outstanding amount of £3,177.37

12/1202. DISCUSS TOWN CENTRE FLOARL DISPLAYS FOR 2025-26

There are 6 planters that are part of an initiative that local business JOSINDIL started last year and will continue this year. Cllr Wetton gave £300 of his ward allowance and the council reserved £500 towards supporting the town centre floral displays. Cllr Bonsall will share some more information at Monday’s meeting.

13/1202. DISCUSS THE INFORMATION GIVEN FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY ON THE MEMORIAL BENCH

The Clerk asked the insurance company the following question - The bench that is potentially being installed on Parish Council grounds would not be owned by the council or be the responsibility of the council. It would be owned and maintained by a voluntary organisation. How would that work with our insurance cover, if it works at all?

The insurer responded - Unfortunately, in order for this policy to cover the bench the parish council would need to be responsible for it.

The committee would require their own insurance to cover it.

Members discussed whether the council take on responsibility for the bench and proceed with Glynn Morris’s memorial or allow the group who own the bench to cover its own costs.

RECOMMENDED: The council agree to take responsibility for the bench, add it to the insurance costs (if any), create a maintenance budget, undertake risk assessments and create a maintenance schedule. Cllr Bonsall has agreed to install the bench and undertake the maintenance/repairs.

14/1202. REVIEW THE FINANCIAL REGULATIONS

The financial regulations may need amending due to the council no longer having an Assistant Clerk.

RECOMMENDED: The Clerk will look into what powers are required and if the job role can be amended in the regulations.

15/1202. CLOSE MEETING

The meeting was closed at 8.25pm.

These will be presented to Full Council on Monday 17th February 2025.