Godalming Town Council

Minutes and report of
The Policy & Resources Committee
held on 2nd March 2006

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366-05 SUBSTITUTES

Substitutes were authorised for Councillors who were unable to attend the meeting as follows: Councillor A Rayner for Councillor J Rayner.

367-05 MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2006, having been previously circulated, were signed by the Chairman as a true record.

368-05 PETITIONS/STATEMENTS/QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

No petitions/statements/questions had been received from members of the public in accordance with Standing Order No 87.

369-05 DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS

Councillor Dr JFA Blowers declared a personal interest, as a trustee of Godalming Museum, in Agenda Items 5,6 & 7.
 
Councillor BG Shelley declared a personal interest , as his employments means that he works with HM Revenues & Customs, in Agenda Item 8.

Councillor CCE Slyfield declared a personal interest as a Surrey County Councillor in Agenda Item 6 (Surrey County Council run the Surrey History Centre).

370-05 GODALMING MUSEUM - ACQUISITION AND DISPOSAL POLICY AND COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

Members considered and agreed the new Acquisitions and Disposal Policy and the new Collections Management Agreement for Godalming Museum (copies of these agreements are appended to the record minutes.)

371-05 ITEMS MISSING FROM THE GODALMING MUSEUM COLLECTION

Members considered a request from the Curator of Godalming Museum for the Town Council's support in retrieving items that may be missing from the Museum's collections. In the confusion following local government reorganisation in 1974 a number of items (which under the terms of the Collections Management Agreement could be deemed to be Town Council property) were removed from the Museum by Surrey County Council for safekeeping elsewhere.

1. Official records which need to be held by a repository which meets specific standards, i.e. the Surrey History Centre - the Museum Curator suggested that these be formally transferred to the Surrey History Centre

2. Items which fall outside the Museum's current collection (mostly relating to Guildford) - the Museum Curator suggested that these be formally transferred to the Surrey History Centre

3. Published items, including prints, of which the Museum has additional copies in the collection - the Museum Curator suggested that if duplicate items are useful at the Surrey History Centre it makes sense for them to stay there.

4. Items that fall within the Museum's current collecting policy and which the Curator would like to see back in the collection.

Members endorsed the approach outlined above and specifically agreed that the Curator should seek to have any items believed to have been in the Museum prior to 1974 and falling within the Museum's current collecting policy returned to the Godalming Museum.
 

372-05 PLACING OF FURTHER TOWN COUNCIL ASSETS WITH GODALMING MUSEUM

Members agreed that Godalming Museum should be asked if they will accept "The Letters of Rusticus on the Natural History of Godalming"; a book published in 1849 and the Town Clerk's wig and case (the wig case bearing the name APV Moon Esq) into the Museum's collections.

373-05 VAT ON INTERNET PURCHASES

Members noted the guidance of the National Association of Local Council (NALC) about items purchased over the internet by officers using a personal credit/debit card where the Town Council then reimburses that officer.  To avoid any future difficulties in reclaiming VAT and to ensure a sufficient audit trail the National Association of Local Council (NALC) have recommended (NALC advice attached to record minutes) that these transactions should be individually identified to the appropriate committee.

Members agreed that all transactions that fall into this category should be separately identified in the report to Policy & Resources Committee of accounts paid since last meeting.

374-05 ACCOUNTS PAID SINCE LAST MEETING

Godalming Town Council          
Accounts paid since the 26 January 2006 £38,378.78

Items purchased over the Internet by Roger Browne:
BT Paragon phone for Wilfrid Noyce Centre £55.98

Items purchased by personal credit card by Roger Browne:
Cable Tidy (Homebase) £11.99

375-05 NATIONAL SALARY AWARD 2006/2007

Members agreed that the 2006/07 pay award be implemented for all Town Council staff with effect from the 1 April 2006 in accordance with NALC guidelines (copy payscales attached to record minutes).

376-05 ISSUES ARISING FROM THE AUDIT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2005

Members considered the issues arising from the external audit of the accounts for the financial year ending 31 March 2005 by BDO Stoy Hayward LLP (copy attached to record minutes).

Members endorsed a revised action plan dealing with these issues and those arising from the previous years audit (see also Minute 275-05) (copy action plan attached to record minutes).

377-05 GODALMING TOWN COUNCIL FINANCIAL REGULATIONS

Members noted that the Town Council Financial Regulations were adopted in October 2002 and last updated on 12 February 2004.  Members considered updates and amendments since that date.

 Members endorsed the amendments and recommended the draft Financial Regulations to Full Council for adoption.

378-05 EMERGENCY WORKS TO THE OLD TOWN HALL (PEPPERPOT)

Members noted that the Town Clerk had authorised emergency investigative and temporary remedial work to the ceiling of the undercroft of the Pepperpot. A portion of the plasterwork was observed to be sagging and the Town Clerk sought advice that indicated that there was a risk of plaster falling.
 
 The cost of the temporary remedial work was estimated to be in the region of £200 with a further charge of £225 for surveyor's fees.  There was no specific budget for this expenditure - but a significant reserve existed to fund external redecoration of the Pepperpot and Members agreed that this expenditure should be charged there.

Members endorsed the Town Clerk's emergency action.

379-05 DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Policy & Resources Committee is scheduled to be held on Thursday, 6 April 2006 at 6.30 pm in the Council Chamber.

380-05 ANNOUNCEMENTS

There were no announcements.