Public Question Time There were no members of
the public present.
31 Apologies
for absence
Apologies were received and accepted from Cllrs
Stuart
Berlyn
, Ron Matthews and John Thomson.
32 Declarations of
Interest
None were declared.
33 Minutes of the Meeting held on 28th June, 2006
RESOLVED that the Minutes of 28th June, 2006 be approved and signed as a correct record.
34 Financial Information until 20th July, 2006
34.1 Approval of payments
until 20th July, 2006
The Clerk circulated payments up until 20th July, 2006 this is shown as Appendix I.
Members agreed the payments.
Members agreed that the Clerk obtains two signatures from any members
available for the payments for August. This payment list will be ratified at the meeting in September.
RESOLVED: a) that the payments
up until 20th July, 2006 be approved.
b) The Clerk obtains signatures
from members available for the August payments and a list will be approved at
September meeting.
34.2 Reconciliation sheet
to 30th June, 2006.
Balances at bank including Petty Cash were checked by Cllr D Powell
all balances now matched. All payments
and receipts from last year 2005 /2006 now received.
See Appendix II.
RESOLVED: that the information be noted.
34.3 Receipts until 12th July, 2006
The Clerk circulated an up-to-date list of receipts.
RESOLVED: that the information be noted.
34.4 Debtors more than 3
months
There were none.
35 Parish Office Upgrade
35.1 Hearing Loop
The Clerk and Cllr Brooks will investigate further over the summer
recess.
RESOLVED: that the Clerk and
Cllr Brooks investigate further over the summer recess.
36 Information Technology
36.1 Lodge Information Services Report
Main recommendations of the report were to put aside £2,000 in a
rolling budget for Information technology. Also that the UPS Batteries should be replaced after two years which
could become part of the budget.
RESOLVED: that a) £2,000 is set aside in next year’s budget for
Information Technology.
b) The UPS Batteries decision
be taken to next Resources Committee as this had been brought up by the
Chairman of the Council who was not present at this meeting.
36.2 Digital Projector
Chelmsford Borough Council representative will bring to Parish Council
a digital projector to show what the reproduction of plans is like.
RESOLVED: that a) the information be noted.
b) The Assistant Clerk Planning and It download some plans form
Chelmsford borough Council Website so that they can be reproduced to
ascertain if the projector will be suitable to purchase
37 Insurance
37.1 Zurich Insurance Advisory Day – 8th July, 2006
The Clerk and Assistant Clerk
Facilities attended Zurich Insurance Advisory day.
A new Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order) will be coming into force
on 1st October, 2006. A
named responsible person was required and a named competent person. Members
agreed that the Clerk and the Assistant Clerk Facilities should be the two
people concerned. Members also raised
the question of a second escape route from the Parish Office. Members of staff had investigated whether
they could use the window. It was
decided that the window and grill in the Parish Office should not be locked
when Members of staff are in the building. Recommendations came from the
attendance at the Seminar as follows:
a) A plan be prepared by
the Clerk to schedule work on fire Risk Assessments.
b) A plan be prepared to
schedule Methods of Work for the Groundsman.
c) A ‘Working Alone’
procedure be put in place
d) Training for the Groundsman
be organised for manual lifting and carrying
e) The Facilities
Register holds the current risk assessment for the Council and users of
Dawson Memorial Field a comprehensive schedule be produced.
f) The Clerk and the
Assistant Clerk Facilities be appointed as a Responsible Person and a named
Competent Person to meet the requirements of the new Fire Safety Order.
g) Investigation
regarding storage of Risk Assessments
RESOLVED: that a) the above recommendations be put into a
comprehensive plan and prioritised by
the Clerk.
b) The Clerk and Assistant Clerk Facilities be the authorised
responsible person and competent member of staff for the Fire Regulations.
38 Freedom of Information
Act
38.1. First Draft
Retention of Document Policy
A report was circulated to Members regarding the Freedom of
Information Act.
Danbury Parish Council had adopted the Model Scheme which is due for
renewal in February 2007 a revised
model is expected from the Information
Commissioner five months prior to this date.
It was recommended that the Council should have a Records Retention
Policy a draft copy was discussed at the meeting. Members suggested that the Clerk check
whether there is a retention period for E. Mails. It was also suggested that two columns be
made for electronic retention and hard copy retention. A request be made to the Planning Committee
to ascertain their requirements also to ascertain if duplicate copies can be
obtained from Chelmsford Borough Council if required. This item will be left on the Agenda until
final document produced. As stated Playground Inspection Risk Assessment
sheets must be kept for a period of twenty one years plus. Members wondered if they could be kept at
the Records Office. Staff had
suggested that they be scanned. If
this process was completed staff must be aware that scanning takes up a lot
of memory capacity on the computers.
RESOLVED: that a) the Clerk check with the EALC regarding E. Mails
retention time
b) A request be made to Planning Committee to ascertain their
retention period for plans
c) Check with Chelmsford Borough Council can duplicate Planning
Applications are required
d) The item be left on the Agenda until final Records Retention Policy
Produced
e) A request be put into Records Office to ascertain if they would be
prepared to keep Playground Inspection sheets and Risk Assessments. If the
scanning option is used staff must be aware that it will use a lot of the
memory capacity
39 Requests for
Additional Funding from Facilities Committee
39.1 Tree Works
Tree surveys still to be completed. Once finished will be able to ascertain amount of urgent works to be
completed and the sum of monies involved.
RESOLVED: that the information
be noted.
39.2 Concrete Base for
Diesel Tank
A quotation had been received from the original builder to replace the
concrete slab of £1322 plus VAT. Research was being completed through Chelmsford Borough Council to
ascertain if the slab should have cracked within four years of completion of
the works. This item would be discussed further at Facilities Committee in
September.
RESOLVED: that the information be noted.
39.3 Football Posts
The Assistant Clerk Facilities had ascertained that there would be
grant monies available from Essex FA to replace goal posts matched funding
would be required. This will be
discussed further at Facilities Committee in September.
RESOLVED: that the information be noted.
40 Automatic Dialler
The Automatic Dialler had been reprogrammed with new number. A test
will be completed with the next week.
RESOLVED: that the information be noted.
41 Resources 20th September, 2006
Members agreed to change the Resources Committee to 19th September, 2006 so that the Clerk could attend the EALC Annual General
Meeting.
RESOLVED: that the Resources Committee be changed to Tuesday 19th September, 2006.
42 Post
The Committee was informed that there will be changes to the pricing
for envelopes as from 21st August, 2006. A5 Envelopes will remain
the same price.
The Clerk would monitor the situation over September/October to see if
postage increases.
RESOLVED: that the Clerk monitors the postage to ascertain if the
postage increases.
43 Matters for
Report
44 Exclusion of Press and
Public
RESOLVED: that pursuant to S.1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to
Meetings) Act 1960 the meeting be not now open to the public and press for
the following items of business and they were instructed to withdraw.
45 Staff
The Clerk and the Groundsman are working on a current job description
for the post.
The Assistant Clerk Planning and It would be completing her hours
within the office in August. The
Parish Office will be closed on Fridays during August.
RESOLVED that the Parish Office is closed on Fridays throughout
August.
46 Dates of meetings in
2006
19th September, 2006,
25th October, 2006, 22nd November, 2006 and
Tuesday 19th December, 2006
Business having been concluded, the Chairman closed the meeting at
10.00 pm.
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