Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies for absence received from Councillors.

Audio Recording – Start time of Item – 19 seconds

No apologies for absence were received from Councillors.

The Chairman introduced Daniel Moran from the Electoral Services Team who was in attendance as he had expressed an interest in clerking a future meeting of the Council.

To take as read and approve as a true record the minutes of the meeting of this Committee held on the 20 November 2018.

These Minutes will be dispatched on 7 December 2018.

RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Sub-Committee held on 20 November 2018 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chairman.

Audio Recording – Start time of Item – 54 seconds

RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 20^th November 2018 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chairman.

Members should notify the Chairman of other business which they wish to be discussed by the Committee at the end of the business set out in the agenda. They must state the circumstances which they consider justify the business being considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chairman will decide whether any item(s) raised will be considered.

There was no other business notified.

Audio Recording – Start time of Item – 1 minute and 9 seconds

There was no other business notified.

Members are reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and are required to notify the Chairman of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda.  Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring a Declarable Interest, wished to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, must declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then must leave the room before the debate and vote

The Chairman announced that in accordance with Council policy the meeting was being audio recorded.

The Chairman drew Members’ attention to the item on the front page of the agenda regarding ‘Declarations of Interest’ and reminded Members that, in accordance with the Code of Conduct, any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared immediately prior to the respective agenda item.  Members declaring a Declarable Interest, who wished to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, must declare this at the same time as the interest.

Audio Recording – Start time of Item – 1 minute and 18 seconds

(1)       The Chairman announced that in accordance with Council policy the meeting was being audio recorded.  Members of the public and the press were able to use their devices to film/photograph, or do a sound recording of the meeting, but were requested to not disrupt the proceedings of the meeting.  

(2)     The Chairman reminded Members that, in line with the Code of Conduct, any Declarations of Interest needed to be declared immediately prior to the item in question; Members who declared a Declarable Interest, who wished to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, were advised to declare this at the same time as the interest.

To receive petitions and presentations from members of the public.

There was no public participation.

Audio Recording – Start time of Item – 2 minutes and 17 seconds

There was no public participation.

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – RESOURCES

To approve the accounts and annual reports prior to submission to the Charities Commission, if a return is required.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities):

      i.        approves the information required by the Charities Commission for the four registered charities, so that the returns can be submitted prior to the January 2019 deadline; and

     ii.        notes the requirement for those charities with a gross income of more than £25k in their financial year to have their accounts independently examined and, as this applies to King George’s Field, instructs this to be undertaken for those accounts for 2017/18. This will be undertaken by the Shared Internal Audit Service (SIAS).

Audio Recording – Start time of Item – 2 minutes and 30 seconds

The Cabinet Sub-Committee considered a report presented by the Service Director, Resources, which included the returns required for each of the Charities/Charitable Trusts administered by the Council.  The four Charities/Charitable Trusts were Hitchin Town Hall Gymnasium and Workmans Hall Trust, King George’s Field Hitchin, Smithson Recreation Ground and Hertfordshire Yeomanry and Artillery Collection. 

It was noted that the annual return referred to three charities, the Hertfordshire Yeomanry  and Artillery Collection was not included as there was nothing significant to report and therefore did not require the same level of return.

It was explained that the Charities Sub-Committee approved the accounts and annual reports prior to submission to the Charities Commission.

The following responses were provided to questions from the Sub-Committee:

·                In regards to King George’s Charitable Trust, surveyors had in the past overvalued the land as it did not reflect the  various restrictions and covenants on the land and the valuation should reflect these. There were no future plans for the asset but it was a requirement that it was valued each year.  The building itself was a valuation adjustment. 

·                Regarding Hitchin Town Hall, to calculate the depreciation figure on Hitchin Town Hall it was first necessary to apply the revaluation figure prior to depreciation.

Having considered the report, it was

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities):

i.             approved the information required by the Charities Commission for the four registered charities, so that the returns could be submitted prior to the January 2019 deadline. 

ii.             notes the requirement for those charities with a gross income of more than £25k in their financial year to have their accounts independently examined and, as this applies to King George’s Field, instructs this to be undertaken for those accounts for 2017/18. This will be undertaken by the Shared Internal Audit Service (SIAS).