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Community Council Meeting - Tuesday 14th January 2003
Basic Training Course for Community Clerk
The first item on the agenda was from Councillor Morgan requesting that Community Council pay the fees for the clerk Mrs Lloyd to undertake an accounts package course called Sage at Pembrokeshire College. Councillor Calver questioned Councillor Morgan on his knowledge of the course to which he replied that he had been trying to find a course for her to attend and that this is the only one he could find. The proposal would cost community council ratepayers several hundred pounds because the clerk was asking for her travel expenses and time spent in attendance to be paid by the council in addition to the course fee. As this was the case Councillor Calver asked Councillor Morgan what the course entailed and its relevance to the clerk's duties, council ratepayers' money should only be spent on courses that are relevant for her to carry out her duties as clerk to the council. Councillor Morgan informed the meeting it was the only one himself and the clerk could find not that it was suitable. Councillor Thompson then described what the Sage package entailed as she had an intimate knowledge of its workings in her business. The clerk said she was having great difficulty carrying out her bookkeeping and audit duties and when questioned by Councillor Thompson admitted she only had four / five receipts and payments per month. Councillor Griffiths suggested that perhaps Spark/Planed would be running a course to which Councillor Calver said that Sparc courses seamed to go on and on. It was decided to perhaps look for an easier and simpler course for her.
Precept 2003/2004 ( Manorbier Community Council Income/Spending)
The clerk produced her financial statement on Manorbier Community Council finances. Detailed discussion took place regarding the statement because after checking the accounts a discrepancy in the figures of £841.86 was found. The clerk explained that the auditor last year had changed the figure she had submitted as cash in bank at start of year. Councillor Calver asked her what evidence the auditor had supplied her with in regard to this apparent change to the accounts and if he had supplied her with a statement showing the reasons. Mrs Lloyd, Clerk to the Council, said she had just accepted his statement and had therefore no documentation to support this change and did not know, even twelve months later, the reason for this discrepancy.
Councillor Ms Beynon, Chairperson of the Manorbier Community Council, seemed confused about the accounts by asking if the figures in the various columns have to add up. Councillor Malcolm Calver reminded the other councillors that we have in the past year levied a charge of £13,724.00 on the local ratepayers and many were now asking what are they getting for this large sum of money. The clerk's wages £3,358.00 and expenses £196.94 etc formed a major part of the money spent in the year 2002/3, being 30% of total moneys spent.
Another major item cost to the council was the newsletter produced three times in the year at a cost of £1,298.70 including clerk's expenses. This as Councillor Calver pointed out that this was £498.70 over budget. The was one area of council spending that it was possible to reduce, as he felt a newsletter produced and distributed twice a year would assist the majority of organisations that submit articles and advertise through the newsletter. He proposed that an edition March/April and September/October would be more suitable. Councillor Morgan reminded the council this had been an agenda item for the last six months but had not been discussed because the Councillor responsible had not been available when it came up on the agenda to be discussed.
Concern was raised by County Councillor Griffiths regarding the state of the playing fields/parks. Councillor Thompson informed the meeting that she and County Councillor Griffiths had inspected the parks recently and had found major problems regarding safety and the state of the equipment in the parks. She felt that the equipment had been left to rust and also commented on the poor state of repair regarding the bus shelter in the village that bounded the play area. Councillor Calver reminded community councillors that Pembrokeshire County Council had been receiving moneys through their rate system whether it was business rates or community charge to fund the provision of playing fields. This has now been withdrawn with no corresponding reduction in rates and questioned County Councillor Griffiths if she, as a cabinet member, agreed with the policy of Pembrokeshire County Council to withdraw funding. Councillor Griffiths said it was the council policy to which Councillor Ms Beynon said there was nothing we could do about it. Councillor Calver said, with respect that this response did not answer the question he asked Councillor Griffiths but asked if she agreed with the decision of PCC to withdraw funding with no corresponding reduction of rates levied by them. Councillor Griffiths failed to answer Councillor Calver`s question but agreed that the burden of providing the finance for parks would now fall on community council ratepayers. She had contacted a Mr Bailey of Pembrokeshire County Council over her and Councillor Thompson's survey of the parks but he had assured her that inspections had taken place and the areas and equipment were safe. Councillor Ms Beynon felt that a letter should be sent to Pembrokeshire County Council on the safety of equipment issue.
Councillor Thompson proposed that the same rate be levied this year as last year. Councillor Calver counter proposed that as the council had over budgeted for the last two years by £6,694.73 and that as we now have a surplus the proposal by Councillor Thompson to levy £13,724 be reduced by that amount. He failed to find a seconder and Mrs Thompson's proposal was carried.