POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE
3rd September 2007

Committee Members Present: Cllrs J Tucker, Mrs S Brown, C Block, D Brown, B Garlick, D Keeley,
Miss A Moloney, L Withey, Mrs S Hunter (Town Clerk)

Members of the Public Present: Mr J Boyes, Mrs J Hutchinson, Mr P Hickmott, Mr J Hayes

1. Apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Mrs S Boakes and C King.

2. Declaration of interest

Cllrs Miss A Moloney and D Brown live in Sharnal Lane.

3. Matters arising from the minutes of the meeting held on 18 June 2007

Item 8 – The Council has now joined KAPC (KALC).

4. Open Forum

The members of the public who were present were just there to observe.

5. Financial Review April – August 2007

Our current Capital Reserves: £71071
Our current General Reserves: £48814
Total £119885.05
A bank reconciliation was presented to the Committee.
The Beer Festival made a profit of £639.23
RECOMMENDED to round up to £700, to be sent to Kent Air Ambulance.
The Carnival donations came to £847.64.
RECOMMENDED to round up to £900, enabling £300 to be given to the Alms Houses, Rectory Close and Pilgrims View. Council able to do this under Section 137 (amount £113.13).

6. Audit Trail

Cllr Atkins informed the Committee that in the past a random item would be chosen and the relevant supporting paperwork would then be produced by the Clerk. It was agreed that this practice would be put on future Policy and Resources agendas. It is hope that by carrying out this procedure the Council may be able to reduce its internal audit fees.

7. Requests for donations

There were no requests.

8. Insurance Schedule

Cllr Atkins said we need to look at which buildings the Council should and should not insure, for example where the Council has no control over the Cricket Pavilion at Holborough. If the Lake Pavilion was severely damaged would it be in the Council’s interest to keep it going. We need to discuss with the Council’s insurance broker what we insure and does the Council’s public liability insurance cover places not mentioned, eg Museum, Cemetery Chapel.
The Council needs to take a close look at Fire Risk Assessments, and ascertain which buildings have to be risk assessed. The Clerk will contact TMBC to see if the Council is eligible to risk assess the cafés.
Cllr Atkins requested three quotations for insurance, even though the Council has used the same broker for many years.

9. Code of Conduct

The new code of conduct will have to be adopted at our next Full Council meeting.
A short training session from TMBC will take place prior to the meeting. If anyone has anything they wish to add, please let the Clerk know before 17 September 2007.

10. Applications for Grants from TMBC

RECOMMENDED to look at Church Field, High Street area to upgrade. The Clerk will prepare this and apply for grant.
RECOMMENDED to apply for a KCC grant towards air conditioning for the Moyeuvre- Grande Suite, in the hope that KCC will match-fund.
There are forms in the Office for voluntary and community groups to apply for grants.

11. Any other items which the Chairman has decided are urgent owing to special circumstances

11.1 Cllr Miss Moloney raised the current legislation regarding grievance procedures and the need to have a Staff Committee and a Grievance Panel. The same Councillors cannot be on both committees.
11.2 There is a Councillor training day at Lenham on 22 September 2007. This is a fee of £55 per councillor. If anyone would like to attend, the Clerk has the forms.
11.3 The Council has received notification from TMBC that ex-councillor George Chapman is to be made an Honorary Alderman of the Borough. A formal letter of congratulations will be sent to Mr Chapman on behalf of STC.
11.4 Initial Services have a new product, if Councillors would like to see it. (This was passed around, although Councillors did not feel it was needed.)
11.5 Cllr Miss Moloney expressed concerns about the Borough’s Cycleway proposal near to Sharnal Lane/Saltings Road, as many children play here and it could be a potential danger to them. While the Committee agreed to the Cycle Strategy in principal, there are concerns about this particular spot and Cllr Miss Moloney will raise this with the Borough.

The Chairman moved that the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting because of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.