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Council Meeting

Agenda

2020.05 MINUTES

Minutes

BRIDGTOWN PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting.

Wednesday 20th May 2020.

Held as a virtual meeting following guidelines during the Covid 19 Pandemic.

 

Present:

Cllrs. Peter Kruskonjic, Val Jones, Alison Smith, Matthew Freeman, Bob Eccleston and Kevin Whittaker.

 

Cllr. B Eccleston had signed his acceptance of office in the presence of the Chairman prior to the meeting.

 

In Attendance:

Clerk, Janine Arm.

Mr Ray Smythe, Parish Council Independent Internal Auditor.

 

Chairman, Cllr. Alison Smith opened the meeting and welcomed new Councillor, Cllr. Bob Eccleston.

 

  1. Election of Chairman.

 

Cllr. Kevin Whittaker Proposed and it was agreed that Cllr. Alison Smith be elected Chairman for the following year.

 

RESOLVED:  Cllr. Alison Smith to be Chairman for the following year.

 

  1. Signing of the Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

 

Cllr. Alison Smith thanked the Council for their support and accepted the post. She duly signed her Acceptance of Office.

 

  1. Apologies received in writing.

 

Apologies in writing had been given by Patrick Frondigoun. It was noted however that Cllr. Frondigoun had not have attended a meeting for six months, so unfortunately would be automatically disqualified.

 

RESOLVED: To Declare a Councillor Vacancy

 

  1. Election of Vice Chairman.

 

It was proposed, seconded and agreed that Cllr Kevin Whittaker would be elected as Vice Chairman, Cllr Whittaker thanked the Council for their support and accepted the post.

 

  1. Declaration of Interests on agenda items and consideration if dispensations where appropriate.

 

No declarations of interests were given.

 

RESOLVED: Noted.

 

  1. To Approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 11th March 2020.

 

It was proposed, seconded and agreed to approve the minutes.

 

RESOLVED: To approve the Minutes.

 

  1. Matters Arising from the Minutes.

 

No further matters arose not already covered on the agenda.

 

  1. Appointment of Committees, outside representatives and Co-ordinators.

 

  • Parish Councils’ Standards Sub Committee Representatives.

It was proposed, seconded and agreed that Cllr. Peter Kruskonjic would be Bridgtown Parish Council representative on the Standards Sub Committee.

 

RESOLVED: Cllr P. Kruskonjic to be the representative on the Standards Sub Committee.

 

  • Independent Internal Auditor.

It was agreed that Mr R Smythe would be the Council Independent Internal Auditor. It was noted that Mr Smythe and the Clerk cohabited, but the Council agreed that they were managing any potential conflict of interest, especially as it was the Council being audited, not the Clerk.

 

RESOLVED:  Mr R. Smythe to be appointed as Independent Internal Auditor.

 

  1. Chairman’s Report.

 

The Chairman’s report was noted.

 

RESOLVED:

 

  1. Consideration of reports received from the PCSO.

 

PCSO report had been submitted and noted. Thanks were expressed for all their hard work.

 

  1. Recreational Areas.

 

  • The Leighton Memorial Garden.

The area was well maintained and there were no matters of report.

 

  • War Memorial.

The area was well maintained and there were no matters of report.

 

  • Memorial Garden in Union Street.

The area was well maintained and there were no matters of report.

 

RESOLVED: Noted.

 

 

  • Applications for Consideration.

Applications were considered and noted.

 

  • Applications Approved/Rejected by District Council.

Applications approved, rejected or withdrawn would be noted.

 

 

 

  •  

All correspondence of note had been circulated by email and noted.

 

No issues arose that had not already been covered on the agenda.

 

 

  • Accounts for Consideration.

The following accounts were presented to the Council for consideration.

 

BRIDGTOWN PARISH COUNCIL ACCOUNTS FOR AUTHORISATION
HMRC – Tax and NI contributions (none due ) £0.00
Janine Arm – Clerk pay £367.51
Staffordshire Pension Fund ‘SCC Superannuation fund ‘ including arrears £60.47
Staffordshire Pension Fund ‘SCC Superannuation fund £60.47
Janine Arm – Clerk Expenses –     Payment of licence to cultivate £7.80 plus  postage/mileage £12.80
J Burton Gardening Services £200.00
Bethel Methodist Church Hall Hire – no meeting in Hall £0.00
TOTAL Expenditure £701.25

 

Authorisation of the accounts presented for payment totalling £701.25 was agreed.

 

RESOLVED: To authorise the payments.

 

  • Consideration of the current Financial Situation of the Council.

It was agreed that the accounts presented as below, represented an accurate summary of the Council’s accounts.  It was proposed, seconded and agreed to accept the accounts.

 

RESOLVED: To approve the accounts.

 

  1. Consideration of 2019 – 2020 Audit Matters.

 

  • Consideration of Approval of the End of year Accounts.

It was proposed, seconded and agreed that agreed that to the best of their knowledge the accounts fairly represented the financial situation at the end of the financial year 1st April 2019 – 31st March 2020.

RESOLVED: To approve the End of Year Accounts.

 

  • Confirming and approving that the Council certifies itself as exempt from a limited Assurance Review 2019/2020.

RESOLVED:   That the Council certified itself exempt from a Limited Assurance Review.

 

  • Consideration of the Annual Internal Audit Report.

RESOLVED: To approve the Annual Internal Audit report.

 

  • Consideration of Approval of the Annual Governance Statement.

RESOLVED: To approve the Annual Governance Statement.

 

  • Consideration of Approval of the Accounting Statements 2019 – 2020.

RESOLVED: To approve the Annual Accounting Statement.

           

  1. Highways Issues – matters arising for attention.

 

No issues arose, not already on the Agenda.

 

  1. Items for Information or Future Agendas.

No further issues for the next agenda, not already mentioned in the meeting.  Councillors were advised to make any suggestions for inclusion at the latest one week prior to the next meeting.

 

  1. Date of Next Meeting.

It was agreed that the next Meetings would be: 8th July 2020

Members were thanked for their attendance and the meeting was then closed.