Full Council Meeting Agenda and Summons

Summons issued – 6th November 2024

To Members of the Parish Council,

Councillors, Christine Burrows, Brent Cheetham, Mike Clark, John Henderson, Ben Roberts, Paul Singleton, David Sive and one vacancy.

You are summoned to attend a meeting of Northaw & Cuffley Parish Council that will be held at 7pm on Wednesday 13th November 2024 in Cuffley Hall, Maynard Place, Cuffley EN6 4JA.

Your presence is summoned for transacting the business outlined in the agenda below.

The meeting is open to the press and public unless the Council do otherwise RESOLVE to enter private session where members of the public and press are excluded.

Lisa Peters LCGI PSLCC CPFA CiLCA Clerk to Northaw & Cuffley Parish Council

__________________________________________________________________________

AGENDA

24/25-41 APOLOGIES & ANNOUNCEMENTS

To receive and accept apologies for absence

24/25-42 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

1. a) To receive declarations of interest from members regarding items on the agenda
2. b) To receive any written requests for dispensations for declarable interests;

and c) To grant any requests for dispensation as appropriate

24/25-43 QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC

Members of the public may ask a question, make representation, or give evidence in respect of the business on the agenda for a maximum per item of 3 minutes To include Local PCSO report. The officer is expected to attend the event unless urgent police business arises, in which case they are obligated to prioritise their duties and respond to the situation accordingly.

24/25-44 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL

To accept and confirm the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday 2nd October 2024 are a true and accurate record.

24/25-45 GENERAL POWER OF COMPETENCE (GPoC)

Report on Northaw & Cuffley Parish Council and the information detailing that it meets the three requirements for the adoption of the GPoC.

Motion – Northaw & Cuffley Parish Council hereby confirms that it meets the eligibility criteria for the adoption of a General Power of Competence as defined in the Localism Act 2011 and SI 965, The Parish Councils (General Power of Competence)(Prescribed Conditions) Order 2012. We further resolve to adopt a General Power of Competence.

24/25-46 CO-OPTION OF PARISH COUNCILLOR

Having been duly advertised and with all statutory requirements having been met Council may now consider applications submitted for co-option for the vacant post of parish councillor and may proceed to co-opt a councillor to serve from November 2024 to May 2027.

24/25-47 FINANCE – MONTHLY COMMITMENTS AND ACCOUNTS REVIEW

Council to review and agree the following financial matters:

1. a) To retrospectively approve the September (Month 6) and October (Month 7) payments paid under delegated authority resolved at the last Council meeting. b) To delegate authority for the November (Month 8) and December (Month 9) invoices to be set up for payment and retrospectively approved at the January 2025 meeting
2. c) To receive and note the Q2 financial reports from the Rialtas accounting system

24/25-48 FINANCE COMMITMENTS AND PROJECTS 2024/25

1. a) To receive an update on the ongoing investigations with Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council regarding the millennium gardens wall
2. b) To resolve expenditure for the 2024/25 Government grant to be spent on an updated fascia sign for the Parish Office
3. c) To approve and confirm whether to put Christmas decorations or winter hanging baskets on Millenium Gardens lampposts
4. d) To approve removal of community noticeboard and to approve replacement location and costs
5. e) To resolve to adopt to best practice email hosting offering .gov.uk email hosting and new website via provider Parish Online
6. f) To consider and resolve to approve expenditure on the laying of mulch on pathways at Home Wood
7. g) To consider works to prevent car park flooding in both Maynards Place and Sopers Road and to approve both the budget and timing of the required car park closure which will result in disruption of parking and income.

24/25-49 AUDIT

1. a) Conclusion of NCPC Accounts 2023-24 To receive and note that external auditors PKF Littlejohn LLP have not completed and returned their review of the Northaw & Cuffley Parish Council Limited Assurance review for the year ended 31 March 2024 and to confirm there are matters under investigation by the auditor. Papers included with this item: 1. Annual Governance return (AGAR) signed Sections 1 and 2 2. Annual Governance return (AGAR) signed Section 3 3. Notice of Conclusion of Audit Motion To resolve and confirm that documentation has been formally received and that all statutory requirements for the publication of the conclusion of audit were met as required in the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/234)
2. b) Update on questions raised by the external auditor PKF Littlejohn in relation to the accounts 2023/24 and for Council to note the comprehensive response sent.

24/25-50 LANDOWNER & LEGAL MATTERS

1. a) To note update on any comments received on the drafted Orchard lease.
2. b) Update on legionella risk assessments and requirements of the Parish Council as the landlord, includes adoption of a statement of intent for legionella control.
3. c) To review annual rents for all Parish Council owned and managed properties for 2024/25. 24/25-51 HR COMMITTEE 2024/25 To receive and note the redacted minutes of the HR Committee held 11th October 2024

24/25-52 FINANCE – NCPC BUDGET 2025/26

26. a) To review the draft recommended budget for 2025/26, to amend as required and to formally resolve the Parish Council Budget for 2025/26. To also include a review of the PCSO community consultation review and other recurring charges.
27. b) To review recommended level of general and ear marked reserves for 2024/25, to amend as required and formally resolve for 2025/26

24/25-53 FINANCE – PRECEPT SETTING 2025/26

To confirm the Precept requirement for 2025/26 and to confirm the Precept and delegate authority to the Clerk to make the appropriate demand to Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council

24/25-54 POLICIES FOR REVIEW

To review the following documents, amend as required and resolve to accept or adopt as necessary;

1. a) Grounds maintenance draft tender
2. b) Churchyard maintenance draft tender
3. c) Investment Policy

24/25-55 PARISH ADMINISTRATION

To note a verbal or written report from the Clerk to include the following items for debate, discussion and instruction as required:

1. a) To note the contents of the verbal Clerk report
2. b) Council to note that The Local Government Association has confirmed via NALC that the National Joint Council for Local Government Services (NJC) has reached an agreement on rates of pay applicable from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025
3. c) Council to review and resolve to approve the publication and support for a local e petition for a change to the current zebra crossing on Northaw Road East to a puffin crossing
4. d) To note any matters for report since the issue of this agenda – these items will be for information only and no decisions other than to agenda an item for future discussion

24/25-56 QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC

Time permitting and at the Chair’s discretion members of the public may ask a question on the business discussed.

If the Council resolve under the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, the public and representatives of the press and public and broadcast media must be excluded from the meeting as in consideration of the items of business their broadcast or publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest due to the confidential or commercial nature of the business to be transacted.

The below list of papers were all issued with the summons to all Councillors and have been placed
on the Parish Council website at https://northawcuffleypc.org.uk/ unless otherwise stated.

All papers issued have been reviewed and approved by the Parish Clerk/RFO.

Item 44 NCPC Draft Minutes of the meeting held Wednesday 2nd October 2024
Item 45 Report on adoption of General Power of Competence (GPoC)
Item 46 Parish Councillor applications for co-option (councillors only, 2 applications received)
Item 47a Payment Sheet September (Month 6) and October 2024 (Month 7)
Item 47c Q2 Income and Expenditure, Balance Sheet and Reserves reports 2024/25
Item 48b Report expenditure of grant monies on new updated fascia signage at Maynards Place
Item 48c Report on Millenium Gardens ornamental lampposts and winter baskets or Xmas decs
Item 48e Report on NCPC Website and best practice for email accounts to be resolved
Item 48f Report on laying of mulch onto pathways at Home Wood
Item 48g Report on works to prevent car park flooding in both Maynards Place and Sopers Road.
Item 49 Audit Pack 2023/24
Item 50b Legionella report plus Risk Assessments (RA’s to councillors only)
Item 51 Redacted minutes of the HR Committee 11th October 2024
Item 52 NCPC RFO Budget Report 2025/26
Item 52 NCPC RFO recommended Budget 2025/26
Item 54a Draft Grounds Maintenance Tender
Item 54b Draft Churchyard Maintenance Tender
Item 54c Investment Policy

Please click on any of the highlighted documents above to download/open on your computer.