5th January 2021
Dear Councillor,
This is to inform you that the meeting of the
Resources and Policy Committee will be held via Zoom 7.30pm on Wednesday 13th January 2021, to which you are
summoned, for the transaction of the following business. You can join the Zoom Meeting here
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87950526114?pwd=cnY1ai9PZHRLRlo4SndKd05qaENQUT09
Meeting ID: 879 5052 6114
Passcode: 630438
Yours sincerely,
C. A. Lloyd
Town Clerk
AGENDA
To receive apologies for absence, if any.
The first fifteen minutes of the Meeting will be given
over to questions from members of the public on issues relating to the work of
the Committee.
Members are reminded to make any declarations of disclosable pecuniary
and/or personal interests that they may have in relation to items on this
Agenda.
You should declare at this part of the meeting or when it becomes
apparent your interest by stating:
(a) the item you have the interest
in
(b) whether it is a disclosable pecuniary
interest and the nature of the interest, whereupon you will not participate in
the discussion or vote on that matter, unless dispensation has been requested
and granted
(c) whether it is a personal
interest and the nature of the interest
Members are also reminded of their obligation to report any amendment to
their Register of Interests to the Town Clerk as soon as it becomes apparent.
To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the
Meetings held on 14th October 2020 (copy attached).
In accordance with Standing Order 12;
a.
The draft minutes of a preceding meeting
having been served on councillors with the agenda to attend the meeting at
which they are due to be approved for accuracy, shall be taken as read.
b.
There shall be no discussion about the draft minutes of the
preceding meeting except in relation to their accuracy. A motion to correct an
inaccuracy in the draft minutes shall be moved in accordance with standing
order 10(a)(i).
c.
The accuracy of draft minutes, including any amendment(s) made to
them, shall be confirmed by resolution and shall be signed by the chairman of
the meeting and stand as an accurate record of the meeting to which the minutes
relate.
“The chairman of this meeting does
not believe that the minutes of the meeting of the ( ) held on [date] in respect of ( ) were a correct record but their view was
not upheld by the meeting and the minutes are confirmed as an accurate record
of the proceedings.”
To note the actions report from previous
meetings (attached)
To consider the attached draft budgets for
2021/22.
The date of the next meeting is .
Members: Cllr T. Wiltshire,
Cllr Margaret Eames-Petersen, Cllr Brennan, Cllr MacKay, Cllr Percival
Ex-officio voting
Members: Cllrs Brandon and Juggins
For Information: All other Members of
the Council.
AGENDA ITEM 5
ACTIONS
FROM RESOURCES AND POLICY COMMITTEE
DATE OF
MEETING |
ACTION |
BY WHOM |
|
|
|
|
|
6th July 2020 |
Tree planting report (to
Sport & Leisure Cttee) |
Head of Estates |
To next meeting 25th
Nov 2020 |
20th August 2020 |
Call deHavilland
Grange Working Group |
Cllr Eames-Petersen |
Date set for 11th
January 2021 |
3rd Sept 2020
& 14th Oct 2020 |
Officers to look at Revenue
streams and decrease in revenue and bring reports back reports to future
meetings |
Head of Operations |
On-going |
14th Oct 2020 |
Advice or Training for Cllrs |
Head of Ops |
5 hours Completed |
14th Oct 2020 |
Requests for land acquisition
– enquirers notified of Committee response |
Town Clerk |
Actioned |
AGENDA ITEM 6
1.) Overview of 2020 – 2021 Budget:
2.) Where are we now?
3.) 2021 – 2022 Budget Approach
Having just gone into Lockdown it is difficult to say what the
Co-Vid situation will be like in April 2021 but we have prepared for the worst. The Prime Minister’s worst case scenario is
that things will not return to normal until 5th April 2021 i.e.
Easter 2021.
1.) We have stripped
back our expected income to £232,063.00 (£182k coming from Birchwood).
2.) There is no budget lines for bars at either hall, this
will have to be discussed at Committee before reopening and funding from
reserves. Viability is necessary to supporting the reopening.
3.) We propose to make
staff changes subject to discussion by Establishment
Sub Committee:
4.) Event costs have
been stripped back as we can’t see when these will be able to be run. The
proposal is to pause and review when we know that they can be offered.
5.) There are no budget lines for Repairs and Maintenance
to any of our premises, this will have to be brought to Committee for approval
out of reserves to keep on top of costs.
6.) The Head of Estates has trimmed work to pitches for
the year thus reducing his budgets to assist with funding
7.) There is a significant amount of tree
work to be undertaken hence the additional £10,000 in reserves for tree work,
this is a matter of health and safety and cannot be delayed.
8.) Howe Dell Hall is still being used by
the School for which they are very grateful so will not incur any costs to the
Council except for Business Rates.
9.) There is no budget for architect fees,
this will need Council approval and to come out of reserves as and when any
projects progress. This will ensure that no expenditure is incurred
without prior approval of the council.
What are the three options?
Regardless of reducing our cost base we have seen our reserves
reduce and we are unsure what income we will take next year. We are at the minimum expected reserves with
no capital reserves at all now.
We have produced three
budgets with a 0% increase, 3.5% increase and 8% increase
Note there are no budget lines in any of
the options for Repairs and Maintenance to any of our premises. The only
difference in the budgets is the amount allocated to our reserve for one off
requests. These requests will have to be brought to Committee for approval. This
is to control what is being spent (note anything that is not used can be put
back into our overall reserve at the end of the financial year and earmarked
for capital projects.)
Option 1: 0% provides a £76,000 reserve
Option 2: 3.5% provides £107,000 reserve
Option 3: 8% provides a £146,00 reserve
What do we offer under each of these Budget Heads
Centrally
Birchwood Leisure Centre and
Playing Fields:
The 9.315 hectares of
land at Birchwood comprises
Leisure Centre – Open 7
days per week 9am – 8pm
· Sports Hall (4
badminton courts/basketball court/netball court/disability rugby)
· Health & Wellness
Suite
· Pilates Studio
· Children’s Indoor Play
Area
· Meeting room with wi-fi
access which doubles as fitness studio for martial arts/yoga etc
· Wellfield Trust Room
(tenant)
· 100 parking spaces
· Depot for grounds Team
· Management bookings for
all football, rugby and astro pitches
· Hall and function
bookings
Estates Team:
PLAY
AREAS IN HATFIELD OWNED AND/OR LOOKED AFTER BY THE TOWN COUNCIL
·
Acacia
Street (also known as Cherry Tree Way), Hatfield AL10 8SZ
·
Birchwood
Leisure Centre, Longmead, Hatfield, AL10 0AN
·
Roe
Hill Hall Briars Lane, Hatfield AL10 8EY
·
Coppice
Close Play Area, Coppice Close, Hatfield, AL10 9EF
·
Newstead
Play Area, Newstead, Hatfield AL10 9DH
·
Millwards
Play Area, Millwards, Hatfield, AL10 8UP
·
Newgate
Street, Newgate Street Village SG13 8RP
·
Lemsford Village
Hall, Lemsford AL8 7TT
·
Chipmunk
Chase Play Area, Chipmunk Chase, Hatfield AL10 10 9GH
·
Ellenbrook
Play Area, Ellenbrook Lane, Hatfield AL10 9RW
·
Sovereign
Place Play Area, Princes Gate, Hatfield AL9 5ET
·
Queen
Bee Court Play Area, Queen Bee Court, Hatfield, AL10 9PR
·
Mulberry
Mead Play Area, Mulberry Mead, Hatfield AL10 9EH
·
Daffodil
Close Play Area, Daffodil Close, Hatfield AL10 9FF
·
Tigermoth Way
Play Area, Tigermoth Way, Hatfield AL10 9LT
·
Poppy
Walk Play Area, Poppy Walk, Hatfield AL10 9FP
·
Gorse
Way Play Area, Gorse Way, Hatfield AL10 9GS
·
St
Albans Rd East Recreation Ground, St Albans Rd East AL10 0NG
·
The
are open spaces such as deHavilland Grange and
Centenary Park and formal gardens such as Horsa
Gardens, Cornation Gardens and the War Memorial
Gardens, also kept neat and tidy by the Grounds Team.
·
The
Estates Team manage 4 halls, Howe Dell (currently being used by Howe Dell
school, Oxlease House, Lemsford
Village Hall and Roe Hill Hall. This
entails all health and safety checks, maintenance and cleanliness, as well as
opening and locking and showing around potential hirers.
·
The
Head of Estates oversees both the Grounds and Estates Teams and carries out the
Health and Safety risk assessments for the staff and properties as well as
ensuring that the licences and certificates are up to date.
Recommendation to
Committee
Whilst acknowledging the effect on residents,
to maintain a sustainable service, Officers feel that they are obliged to recommend
that an 8% increase at Band D be recommended to Council.