Agenda, decisions and minutes

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Steve Jarvis be elected as Chair of the meeting.

Audio recording – 1:47

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Steve Jarvis be elected as Chair of the meeting.

Audio recording – 2:10

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 2019 and 14 December 2020.

RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the Meetings of the Committee held on 16 December 2019 and 14 December 2020 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chair.

Audio Recording – 2:30

RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 16 December 20219 and 14 December 2020 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chair.

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 – 2:11

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.

The Chair drew attention to the item on the agenda front pages regarding Declarations of Interest and 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.

Audio recording – 2:13

(1)       The Chair drew attention to the item on the agenda front pages regarding Declarations of Interest and 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.

To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public.

There was none.

Audio recording – 2:37

There was no public participation.

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: That the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities):

(1)       approves the information required by the Charities Commission for the four registered charities so that returns can be submitted prior to the 31st January 2022 deadline.

(2)       notes the requirement for those charities with 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 and Hitchin Town Hall Gymnasium and Workmans Hall, instructs this to be undertaken for those accounts for 2020/21. This will be undertaken by the Shared Internal Audit Service (SIAS).

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

Audio Recording – 2:48

The Service Director – Resources presented the report on Annual Accounts and Returns for Council Charities along with the attached appendices 1-3.

Councillor Steve Jarvis proposed, Councillor Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg seconded and on the vote it was:

RESOLVED: That the Cabinet Sub-Committee (Council Charities):

(1)       approves the information required by the Charities Commission for the four registered charities so that returns can be submitted prior to the 31st January 2022 deadline.

(2)       notes the requirement for those charities with 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 and Hitchin Town Hall Gymnasium and Workmans Hall, instructs this to be undertaken for those accounts for 2020/21. This will be undertaken by the Shared Internal Audit Service (SIAS).

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