Agenda – Finance Committee – 5 September 2023
Below is the agenda for the Finance Committee meeting for 5 September 2023.
You can also download a PDF copy of the agenda here: Agenda – Finance Committee – 5 September 2023
Supporting papers for this meeting are only available in PDF format. Please use the links below to download
CHICHESTER CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA
YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED TO ATTEND A MEETING OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO BE HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER AT 5.30PM ON TUESDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2023
29 August 2023
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
To receive and approve apologies and reasons for absence from members of the Committee.
2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE IN MATTERS ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING
3. MINUTES OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 13 JUNE 2023
To approve and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Finance Committee meeting held on 13 June 2023.
4. COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
To consider the appointment of Councillor Sarah Quail to the Finance Committee
5. UPDATES ON ACTIONS FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES NOT COVERED ELSEWHERE ON THE AGENDA
a) Bus Shelters (minute 8b refers)
i) Bognor Road
To note that, due to issues connecting the shelter to the mains electricity supply, a battery powered Realtime Passinger Information (RTPI) board will be installed, funded from the balance of the Bartholomews Section 106 monies.
ii) Swanfield Drive
To note that the land purchase has been completed and Section 106 funds are due to be released from West Sussex County Council shortly. Shelter will be off grid with a solar roof/light and battery operated RTPI. Location details have been confirmed with the contractor and order placed. Installation will start once S106 funds have been received and necessary temporary highway licences have been agreed.
b) City centre pavements (minute 8c refers)
Deputy Town Clerk to report.
c) Chichester City Council Business Plan (minute 4 refers)
Councillor Miall to report
6. REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING TO JULY 2023
Deputy Town Clerk to report (report attached).
7. EARMARKED RESERVES
Deputy Town Clerk to report (report attached).
8. PUBLIC REALM PROJECTS
Deputy Town Clerk to report (report attached).
9. PERSONNEL SUB-COMMITTEE MINUTES
To note the minutes of the Personnel Sub-Committee meetings held on 27 June 2023 and 26 July 2023 (already resolved at a Special Meeting of Council held on 31 July 2023).
10. PROPERTY SUB-COMMITTEE MINUTES
To approve the minutes of the Property Sub-Committee meeting held on 4 July 2023 and consider the following recommendations:
a) Council House CCTV (minute 6d refers)
It was RECOMMENDED to the Finance Committee on Tuesday 5 September 2023 that an order for the CCTV system upgrade be placed with CIA Ltd in the amount of £3.932.09 + VAT (exc. service contract) to be paid from Council House Reserve.
b) Portico enclosure (minute 6e refers)
The Property Sub-Committee AGREED that the proposal for the feasibility study should be taken to the Finance Committee meeting on 5 September 2023 for a decision on how to proceed. Members should note that Meynell Architects have quoted a price of £1,250 (no VAT) for a concept layout, a one page summary of the proposals and a presentation to Members plus £400 (no VAT) for an initial artists impression of the street view of the concept.
Post Sub-Committee meeting note: Councillors are advised that a short discussion has been had with the District Council’s Principal Conservation and Design Officer who has said that a strong business case would be needed to persuade him and the District Council Planning Officers regarding the case for portico enclosure.
c) Council Chamber acoustics (minute 6h refers)
It was RESOLVED to recommend to the Finance Committee on 5 September 2023 that up to £2,900 be made available for the purchase of a portable hearing loop solution.
Members are advised that a test setup is not available so it is the Officers’ RECOMMENDATION that the purchase is delayed while discussions with suppliers continue.
d) Painting and Conservation Working Group (minute 6i refers)
To request consent to sell some items of furniture identified by the Working Group through an appropriate channel (report attached).
To note the ongoing review of the City Council’s paintings and other items.
Chairman to report.
e) War Memorial (minute 7a refers)
It was RESOLVED to recommend to the Finance Committee on 5 September 2023 that and order be placed with Traditional Stone for the repairs to the War Memorial in the amount of £1,141.68 to be paid from the War Memorial Repairs budget.
Members should note that, due to the need to complete the repairs prior to Remembrance Sunday and the lead times for the stone masons, the work has been commissioned and an installation date is expected shortly.
f) Allotment water supply (minute 8b refers)
RESOLVED to recommend to the Finance Committee on 5 September 2023 that the replacement pipeworks be installed by the City Council’s Property Team and that the costs be funded from the Allotment Reserve.
g) Portfield Cemetery gate (minute 8d refers)
RESOLVED to recommend to the Finance Committee that a replacement be purchased at a cost of £1,725 + VAT to be paid from the Allotment Reserve with the work being undertaken by the City Council’s Property Team.
h) St James compound electrical supply (minute 8e refers)
It was RECOMMENDED to Finance Committee on 5 September 2023 that an indicative amount of £10,000 for SSE to install a hard wired electrical supply to the St James allotment compound be approved subject to the alternatives mentioned being investigated.
Members should note that the Property Maintenance Officer is currently obtaining quotes for an upgraded solar power supply for the compound and that these will be reported to the Property Sub-Committee shortly.
i) Murray Sculpture (minute 10a refers)
It was RECOMMENDED to the Finance Committee on 5 September 2023 to commission the replacement of the damaged parts with bronze replicas at a cost of £1,958.33 to be paid from the Council House Reserve.
Post Sub-Committee meeting update: One of the swords has suffered significant additional damage and has been removed by the sculptor.
j) Speed Indicator Device posts (minute 10c refers)
It was RECOMMENDED to the Finance Committee on 5 September 2023 that an order be placed with Crown Civil in the sum of £920 + VAT for the installation of the SID post sockets in Westgate, to be paid from the City Council’s CIL allocation.
k) Parish Boundary Sign (Terminus Road) (minute 10d refers)
It was RECOMMENDED to the Finance Committee that an order be placed with SuperSigns in the sum of £350 to refresh the graphics on the spare boundary sign to be paid from Public Realm budget.
11. NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
To consider the request for reimbursement of Gala public engagement costs of £333.60 inc VAT from the Chichester Neighbourhood Plan Working Group.
12. INVESTMENT STRATEGY AND POLICY
Deputy Town Clerk to report (report attached).
13. COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE LEVY (CIL)
a) CIL income and expenditure to date
Deputy Town Clerk to report (report attached).
b) CIL Sub-Committee
To discuss the process for agreeing CIL-funded projects.
Deputy Town Clerk to report.
14. OFFICE CHRISTMAS CLOSURE
To consider closure of the City Council offices for the Christmas break from 12 noon on Friday 22 December 2023, reopening on Tuesday 2 January 2024.
15. ITEMS FOR INFORMATION ONLY (reports attached)
a) MONTHLY RECONCILIATION WITH EVIDENCE OF BANK STATEMENTS TO END OF JULY 2023
b) LIST OF PAYMENTS MADE FOR APRIL, MAY, JUNE and JULY 2023
c) LIST OF BARCLAYCARD PAYMENTS FOR APRIL, MAY, JUNE and JULY 2023
16. ITEMS FOR INCLUSION ON THE NEXT AGENDA
17. DATE OF NEXT ORDINARY MEETING
DATE OF NEXT ORDINARY MEETING: Tuesday 3 October 2023
To :
Members of the Finance Committee
- Councillor Kondabeka
- Councillor Loxton
- Councillor Miall
- Councillor Pramas
- Councillor Scicluna
- Councillor Vivian
Ex-Officio Members :
- The Mayor (Councillor C Gershater)
- The Deputy Mayor (Councillor Corfield)
- Chairman of Planning & Conservation Committee (Councillor Butler)
- Chairman of Community Affairs Committee (Councillor Apel)
The filming, photographing and recording of City Council meetings is now permitted by those members of the press and public attending. This includes the use of mobile devices by those using social media. It would be appreciated if anyone who wishes to do this could let the Chairman know before the meeting commences.
However, these provisions will not apply on occasions where the press and public are excluded from the meeting when confidential matters are discussed.
It is requested that discretion is exercised and nothing done to disrupt or distract the meeting in any way. The Chairman will reserve the right to request that filming/recording ceases if it is having a detrimental effect upon the meeting. If you do not wish to be filmed then please let the Chairman know so that alternative arrangements can be made.