Finance committee of Stourport-On-Severn Town Council

Minutes of a meeting of the Finance Committee of Stourport-on-Severn Town Council held in the Mayor’s parlour at 11.00am on Monday 30th January 2023

PRESENT: 

The Mayor Councillor T Berry (Chairman)

Councillors: V Higgs; D Little; J Thomas

Officers:  S Saunders (Town Clerk); G Shaw (Treasurer)

24.       APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 There were no apologies for absence.

25.       MINUTES

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on the 1st November 2022 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

26.       DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 There were no declarations of interest.

28.       REVIEW OF MAYORALTY    

            Members approved the increase (inflation) for both the Mayor (from £5,270 to £5,824) and Deputy Mayor allowances (from £1,054 to £1,165) for 2023/24.

29.       RISK ASSESSMENT REVIEW

The Town Clerk advised Members that the register had been updated and the following points were raised:

  • No. 9 – A Lone Working Policy needed to be adopted by Council.  The Town Clerk would prepare and add to the agenda.
  • No. 31 – Riverside Toilets to be added to the list and it was noted and CCTV had been installed at both the toilets and Riverside Paddling Pool.
  • No. 33 – Bus Shelter at Redstone Lane to be checked for damage.

It was RESOLVED that the report be approved.

 30.       PARKS COMMITTEE MEETING – 23RD JANUARY 2023

Members approved Minute No. 5 of the Parks Committee meeting dated 23rd January 2023.

 31.       Report of the treasurer on the budget for the year ending 31st March 2024

The Treasurer took Members through the report and advised that he had prepared the draft budget on the perception that Council did not want to cut services but would want to minimise the precept.  The Committee agreed that:

  • ‘headline’ cemetery fees be increased from £850 to £900 from 1st April 2023;
  • allotment fees be increased from £46 (large plot) to £50 and from £23 (small plot) to £25 with effect from 1st April 2023

During discussions, it was noted that:

  1. the budget for the Civic Hall showed an increase for rent to £10,000 per annum following the Council decision on 6th December 2022.
  2. as there were a lot of new properties being built in Stourport-on-Severn officers were asked to check that these were added to the council base for the future.
  3. the precept be increased to £47.60 from £43.70, from 1st April 2023 (8.9% increase).

The Treasurer was thanked for his informative report.

32.       RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL ON 7TH FEBRUARY 2023

The Committee:

  1. Approved the burial fees and allotment fees detailed in Minute No.31 above.
  2. Approved the Revised Estimates for 2022/23.
  3. Approved the draft budget for 2023/24 and the Vehicle, Equipment and Election Programme.
  4. A precept increase from £43.70 to £47.60 representing an increase of 8.9% was approved.  This represented a total precept of £335,865.60.

33.       BIKE LOCKERS – REAR OF CIVIC HALL

Following a request from West Mercia Police to install bike lockers on town council land at the rear of the Civic Hall.  After a discussion, it was agreed to charge rent of £250 per annum.  The Town Clerk would advise the police accordingly.

34.       ANY OTHER BUSINESS

In response to a member question, the Town Clerk replied that Severn Trent had not been in contact regarding works to the bridge.  

Chairman

The Meeting closed at 12.15 pm.