CHAPEL-EN-LE-FRITH PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Finance & Town Hall Committee held on

17^th December 2024 at 12pm at the Town Hall, Chapel-en-le-Frith

Present:                        Cllrs M Chantler, J Perkins, C Williams (Chair) & S Young

In Attendance:             Ms G Turner, Clerk

25/304 Apologies – None.

25/305 Declarations of Interests - None.

25/306 It was resolved under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 s1 to exclude members of the press and public to agenda items 8 on the grounds that publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.

25/307 Public Speaking There were two members of the public present at the meeting.

25/308 Minutes of previous meeting It was resolved that the minutes of the Committee’s meeting of 15^th October be approved as a true and accurate record.

25/309 To consider the 2025/26 budget

A draft 2025/26 budget was circulated to members.

Councillor Chantler asked whether, as the court case has not concluded, it was still the case that there would be no non-essential spending in 2025/26.  All agreed.

The following amendments were agreed:

Aministration

·         Councillors travel expenses for the court case should be posted to member’s allowances (NC 1109).

·         Why is there an H&S Nominal Code (NC) 1118 on the Admin cost centre and also H&S NC 1219 on the Town Hall costs centre. Clerk to check whether these codes should be amalgamated.

·         Remove NC 119 Sundry Office Expenses.

·         NCs 1132 (Publicity/Advertising), 1133 (Regeneration) and 1136 (Bus Shelters) sit more with the Regen and Communications budget.

·         Councillor Chantler will ask the Regeneration and Communications Committee to look at installing a bus shelter near Blythe House.

·         Increase staff travel to £500 to cover train fares to court.

·         Clerk will look at when PAT testing is undertaken.

·         Don’t include a budget for Community Awards (NC 1141) for 2025/26 but keep the line for possible future awards.

·         Full Council should decide whether to continue to put aside £1,000 each year towards updating the Neighbourhood Plan in 2028 when the current plan expires.

·         The Council should ringfence £8,000 to reserves for Leisure Centre expenditure not yet charged.

·         Remove NC 1180 Regeneration income.

·         Put photocopying service on the agenda for Full Council to consider whether to continue with this provision/increase cost.

·         Change the name of NC 1124 to ‘Office Costs’.

·         Include an extra £1,500 on IT & Website (NC 1129) to cover the need to replace one desk top and one laptop during 2025.

 Let Premises

·         Take the figures from the condition report prepared earlier in the year and add to Maintenance (NC 1642).

 At this point the members of the public left the meeting.

 Town Hall

·         Water & sewage (NC 1212) add £1,500 to year to date figure to allow for predicted above inflation price rise.

·         A building survey will not be repeated in 2025/26.

·         Move the figure in Building Survey (NC 1241) to 47/49 (NC 1257) as this relates to 47/49 Market Street and not the Town Hall.

·         Investigate whether Parks & Open Spaces staff have any capacity over the winter to paint any of the internal walls in the Town Hall.  In particular the Annexe.

·         Remove Other Expenses (NC 1250) and Sundries (NC 1289).

·         Put hall hire rates on the next Town Hall and Finance Meeting agenda.

 Let Premises

·         Amalgamate Maintenance (NC 1642) and 47/49 (NC 1257) as budget double counted. Remove NC 1642 as no costs to date on this code.

 ·         Councillor Young will confirm what reserves the Parish Council currently has.

 It was also agreed that it should be suggested to the Regeneration and Comms Committee that they could look at improving internet connectivity around the Town Hall. Mr Davidson (member of the public) had previously stated that he would be happy to assist.

25/310 To consider the terms of reference for the Committee

Draft terms of reference were circulated to members.

Following minor amendments, as discussed, it was agreed to re-circulate via email for agreement before submission to the Full Council for ratification.

25/311 To consider bowling club maintenance recharge

Due to time constraints, it was resolved to defer this item to the next Committee meeting as an item to be discussed following the exclusion of the press and public.

25/312 To consider a date for the next meeting

It was agreed that the next meeting will be held on Tuesday 28^th January at 12pm in the Town Hall.

The meeting closed at 3.05pm.