Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members are requested to ensure that they are familiar with the attached summary of the Remote/Partly Remote Meetings Protocol. The full Remote/Partly Remote Meetings Protocol has been published and is available here: https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/home/council-and-democracy/council-and-committee-meetings.

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager welcomed everyone to this meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities) that was being conducted with Members and Officers at various locations, communicating via audio/video and online. There was also the opportunity for the public and press to listen to and view proceedings.

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Officer undertook a roll call to ensure that all Members, Officers and registered speakers could hear and be heard and gave advice regarding the following:

The meeting was being streamed live onto YouTube and recorded via Zoom.

Extracts from the Remote/Partly Remote Meetings Protocol were included with the agenda and the full version was available on the Council’s website which included information regarding:

•           Live Streaming;

•           Noise Interference;

•           Rules of Debate and

•           Voting.

Members were requested to ensure that they were familiar with the Protocol.

Audio recording – 23 seconds

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager welcomed everyone to this meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities) that was being conducted with Members and Officers at various locations, communicating via audio/video and online. There was also the opportunity for the public and press to listen to and view proceedings.

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Officer undertook a roll call to ensure that all Members, Officers and registered speakers could hear and be heard and gave advice regarding the following:

The meeting was being streamed live onto YouTube and recorded via Zoom.

Extracts from the Remote/Partly Remote Meetings Protocol were included with the agenda and the full version was available on the Council’s website which included information regarding:

·                Live Streaming;

·                Noise Interference;

·                Rules of Debate and

·                Voting.

Members were requested to ensure that they were familiar with the Protocol.

To elect a Chair for this meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities).

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Steve Jarvis be elected as Chair of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities).

Audio recording – 1 minute 46 seconds

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager called for nominations for election as Chair of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities).

Councillor Judi Billing proposed and Councillor Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg seconded that Councillor Steve Jarvis be elected as Chair of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities)

There being no other nominations it was:

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Steve Jarvis be elected as Chair of the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities).

There were no apologies for absence.

Audio recording – 2 minutes 14 seconds

There were no apologies for absence.

To take as read and approve as a true record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 16 December 2020.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 16 December 2019 were not considered at this meeting.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 16 December 2019 were not considered at this meeting.

Members should notify the Chair of other business which they wish to be discussed at the end of either Part I or Part II 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 Chair will decide whether any item(s) raised will be considered.

There was no other business notified.

Audio recording – 2 minutes 17 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 Chair 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, wishing 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.

(1)     The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council policy, this meeting was being audio recorded as well as filmed. The audio recordings would be available to view on Mod.gov and the film recording via the NHDC Youtube channel.

(2)     Members were reminded to make declarations of interest before an item, the detailed reminder about this and speaking rights was set out under Chair’s Announcements on the agenda.

Audio recording – 2 minutes 22 seconds

(1)       The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council policy, this meeting was being audio recorded as well as filmed. The audio recordings would be available to view on Mod.gov and the film recording via the NHDC Youtube channel.

(2)       Members were reminded to make declarations of interest before an item, the detailed reminder about this and speaking rights was set out under Chair’s Announcements on the agenda.

To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public.

There were no presentations by members of the public.

Audio recording – 2 minutes 30 seconds

There were no presentations by members of the public.

REPORT OF  THE SERVICE DIRECTOR - RESOURCES

To consider and approve the accounts and annual reports for each of the four Charities/Charitable Trusts administered by the Council prior to submission to the Charities Commission, if a return is required.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the information required by the Charities Commission for the four registered charities be approved, so that the returns can be submitted prior to the 31st January 2021 deadline.

(2)       That the requirement for those charities with gross  income of more than £25k in their financial year to have their accounts independently examined be noted and, as this applies to King George’s Field and Hitchin Town Hall Gymnasium and Workmans Hall, instructs this to be undertaken for those accounts for 2019/20. This will be undertaken by the Shared Internal Audit Service (SIAS).

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To facilitate the submission of approved returns to the Charities Commission.

Audio recording – 2 minutes 37 seconds

The Service Director – Resources presented the report entitled Annual Reports and Accounts for Council Administered Charities together with the following appendices:

·                Appendix 1a - Hitchin Town Hall Gymnasium and Workmans Hall Trust – Accounts;

·                Appendix 1b - Hitchin Town Hall Gymnasium and Workmans Hall Trust - Draft Annual Return;

·                Appendix 2a - King George V Playing Fields – Accounts;

·                Appendix 2b - King George V Playing Fields - Draft Annual Return;

·                Appendix 3a - Smithson Recreation Ground – Accounts;

·                Appendix 3b - Smithson Recreation Ground - Draft Annual Return.

In response to a question asked by Councillor Judi Billing, the Service Director - Resources advised that the manner of the bequest of the Hertfordshire Yeomanry Collection to North Hertfordshire District Council meant that it was part of the sub-committee’s remit.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the information required by the Charities Commission for the four registered charities be approved, so that the returns can be submitted prior to the 31st January 2021 deadline.

(2)       That the requirement for those charities with gross  income of more than £25k in their financial year to have their accounts independently examined be noted and, as this applies to King George’s Field and Hitchin Town Hall Gymnasium and Workmans Hall, instructs this to be undertaken for those accounts for 2019/20. This will be undertaken by the Shared Internal Audit Service (SIAS).

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To facilitate the submission of approved returns to the Charities Commission.