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Agenda and minutes
Venue: Council Chamber, Muriel Matters House, Breeds Place, Hastings, TN34 3UY. Please enter the building via the Tourist Information Centre entrance.
Contact: Emily Horne on 01424 451719 email ehorne@hastings.gov.uk
Note: Due to technical difficulties a recording of this meeting is unavailable.
Items No. Item Apologies for Absence
Minutes:
Apologies for absence were received from Mr May, the Protector.
Declarations of Interest
Minutes:
Councillors made no declarations of interest at this meeting.
Minutes of the Charity Committee meeting & Foreshore Trust AGM held on 25 September 2017 PDF 65 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
RESOLVED that the minutes of the Charity Committee meeting and Foreshore Trust AGM held on 25 September 2017 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record of the meeting
Notification of any additional urgent items
Minutes:
None.
Foreshore Trust Financial Report PDF 107 KB
Additional documents:
- Appendix 1 - Financial Monitoring Report , item 17. PDF 10 KB
- Appendix 2 - Business Plan - Financial Summary , item 17. PDF 14 KB
- Appendix 3 - Indicative Forward Plan , item 17. PDF 9 KB
Minutes:
The Assistant Director, Financial Services and Revenues advised on the Foreshore Trust’s current year’s financial position. The report updated the committee on the current year’s financial position and provided an opportunity to review the Trust’s business plan; risk register and reserves policy.
The report stated that income was at £1,335.000, £50,000 over the original budget due to car parking revenue. Expenditure is at £978,000, £40,000 in excess of the original budget due to an increase in the cleaning contract costs. The small grants and events grants were increased by £10,000 each, to £60,000 and £30,000 per year. Members were advised that there was a small operating surplus of £7,000.
At the last Charity AGM meeting in September, members considered investment options and what was the trusts best recommended return. A review was undertaken with the Council’s Treasury advisors (Link Asset Services, previously Capita Asset Services).
The report proposed moving away from CCLA and investing resources for a longer period in a bank account eg Lloyds, where investments are less risky and the rates are better. The account will enable the trust to invest £1m for 364 days a year and achieve rates of 0.5% for 6 months. The rate of interest of the CCLA (Churches Charities and Local Authorities) account is at 0.19% in September 2017.
Councillor Poole proposed approval of the recommendations to the Assistant Director, Financial Services and Revenue’s report, which was seconded by Councillor Batsford.
RESOLVED (unanimously) that –
1. To agree the current financial position for 2017/18.
2. To agree that the Trust’s monies be invested more widely to achieve a better return (fully complying with the Council’s approved Investment Policy).
The reason for this decision was:
The Council has the responsibility for the proper management of the financial affairs of the Trust. In doing so it complies with Accounting Codes of Practice and the high standards required for the accounting of Public money.
A surplus slightly above budget expectations is anticipated for 2017/18 in respect of ongoing operations.
Annual Report of the Grant Advisory Panel 2016/17 PDF 99 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Assistant Director, Regeneration and Culture, presented the annual report of the Grant Advisory Panel. She stated that the current round had been heavily oversubscribed.
The report gave an overview of the Panel’s activities in 2016/17 relating to the small
grants programme and two rounds of the events grants programme, and also included a number of case studies about the beneficiaries of these grants which illustrated the positive impact of the Trust’s grants programmes in the town.
During Events Grants Round 4 and 5, fourty five applications were received for grant funding. Following a full assessment process, the panel had recommended that twenty two of these applications be approved at various levels and subject to certain conditions.
During the Small Grants Round 6, thirty nine applications were received for grant funding. Under the same process, fifteen of these applications were approved at various levels and subject to certain conditions.
Andrew Colquhoun Chair of the Grants Advisory Panel was present to answer questions. He thanked officers in the Regeneration team for their support to the panel.
The report identified several changes to the membership of the Panel. In July 2016,
Barry Cooper resigned and Sandra Garner resigned. The Committee agreed to recruit two new members, Susannah Farley-Green and Jo Clark at its meeting in December 2016.
The Committee expressed their thanks to the Grants Advisory Panel for its hard work
in dealing with the applications and to the members who had stepped down from the Grants Advisory Panel. The Committee also thanked the Chair for a comprehensive report and officers for their input.
Councillor Batsford proposed approval of the report, which was seconded by Councillor Poole.
RESOLVED(unanimously) that the Charity Committee approve the annual report of the Grant Advisory Panel 2016/17.
The reason for this decision was:
This is the latest annual report from the Grant Advisory Panel of the Foreshore Trust. The Grant Advisory Panel was established in March 2011 to advise on and administer the Foreshore Trust grants programme.
Minutes:
The Marketing and Major Projects Manager presented a report which updated the committee on the lifeguard activity in 2017, and outline plans for the future.
During the 2016 summer season the lifeguard service was operated in-house by Hastings Borough Council and the Foreshore Trust. Following a number of changes early 2017, the Council and Trust resolved to enter into a one season agreement with the RNLI and for the operation to be reviewed at the end of this year’s operation.
During 2017, lifeguards attended to 88 different incidents, of these 7 required serious medical intervention.
The ‘gold standard’ of lifeguarding provided by the RNLI includes; management, training, equipment and accommodation. The operation has been extended across St. Leonards and includes increased lifeguard provision, longer working hours and higher wages for the lifeguards. It is proposed to extend the contract with the RNLI for the next 4 years in respect of the high level of service provided. Members were informed of the positive feedback received from the public in relation to the service.
The committee thanked officers for their work and welcomed the high level of service provided by the RNLI.
Councillor Poole proposed approval of the recommendations to report, which was seconded by Councillor Batsford.
RESOLVED (unanimously) that:
1. A three year contract with the RNLI to provide our beach lifeguard service is entered into, subject to legal agreement.
2. That authority is delegated to the Director of Operational Services or his nominee, in consultation with the Chair of the Charity Committee, to conclude the necessary legal agreements.
The reason for this decision was:
Because the RNLI, the ‘gold standard’ of lifesavers at sea, is able to provide a better service at a lower cost than we can provide in-house, whilst paying the lifeguards more than we were paying them when the service was operated in-house.
Appointment of Grant Advisory Panel Member PDF 104 KB
Minutes:
The Chief Legal Officer presented a report which updated the committee on the appointment of one new member to the Grants Advisory Panel following the resignation of a member.
The Chief Legal Officer advised three applicants had applied and were interviewed on 29 November 2017. The Chair of GAP, Andrew Colquhoun and Councillor Beaney, Chair of the Charity Committee were present at the interviews. The successful candidate who scored the highest was Maria Gonet.
Councillor Poole proposed approval of the recommendations to the report, which was seconded by Councillor Batsford.
RESOLVED (unanimously) to appoint Maria Gonet to the Grants Advisory Panel with immediate effect for a period of three years.
The reason for this decision was:
The membership of the Grants Advisory Panel is now seven due to a member
resigning. The assessment of grant applications takes place in January 2018. As
two members assess the same applications it is helpful to have an even number of
members.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The notes of the Coastal Users Group meeting held on 21 November 2017 and updated Constitution and Terms of Reference were submitted for members to note.
The Chief Legal Officer informed the committee that the Protector had requested members of the Coastal Users Group be informed that he produces a written report for the Charity Committee as part of the annual cycle of reporting to comply with the Commission requirements.
RESOLVED that the minutes of the Coastal Users Group meeting held on 21 November 2017 be received and noted.
Additional urgent items (if any)
Minutes:
None.
Public Conveniences Cleaning Contract
Minutes:
The Assistant Director Environment and Place presented a report concerning the contractual arrangements for the cleaning contract.
Councillor Poole proposed approval of the recommendations, as set out in the resolution below, seconded by Councillor Batsford.
RESOLVED – That the Charity Committee notes and endorses the new contractual arrangements set out in the report.
The reason for this decision was
Due to a serious issue arising from the procurement process for the contract to clean public conveniences, Officers needed to make alternative arrangements for this service as a matter of extreme urgency. This included letting a short term interim contract to the incumbent contractor, whilst working with the East Sussex Procurement Hub to re-procure a new longer term contract.
For transparency, the use of urgency provisions in relation to the letting of contracts has to be reported to Charity Committee.
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