Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

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

RESOLVED: That Councillor Ian Albert be elected as Chair of the meeting.

Audio recording – 59 seconds

Councillor Amy Allen proposed, and Councillor Mick Debenham seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That Councillor Ian Albert be elected as Chair of the meeting.

There were no apologies for absence received.

Audio recording – 1 minute 44 seconds

There were no apologies for absence received.

To take as read and approve as a true record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 19 November 2024.

RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 19 November 2024 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chair.

Audio recording – 1 minute 49 seconds

Councillor Ian Albert, as Chair, proposed and Councillor Mick Debenham seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 19 November 2024 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 minutes 31 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 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 minutes 34 seconds

(1)        The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council Policy, the meeting would be audio recorded.

(2)        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 no public participation.

Audio recording – 3 minutes 17 seconds

There was no public participation.

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR – RESOURCES

This report includes the returns required for each of the Charities/Charitable Trusts administered by the Council. The five Charities/ Charitable Trusts are; Hitchin Town Hall Gymnasium and Workman’s Hall Trust, King George’s Field Hitchin, Smithson Recreation Ground, Mrs Howard Memorial Hall and Hertfordshire Yeomanry and Artillery Collection. The Charities Sub-Committee approve the accounts and annual reports prior to submission to the Charities Commission, if a return is required.

RESOLVED:

(1)   That the Charities Sub-Committee approved the information required by the Charities Commission for the five registered charities, so that the returns can be submitted prior to the 31st January 2026 deadline.

(2)   That the Charities Sub-Committee noted 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 2024/25. 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 – 3 minutes 20 seconds

The Director – Resources presented the report entitled ‘Annual Reports and Accounts for Council Administered Charities’ and advised that:

·       This report detailed the returns required for the five Charities/Charitable Trusts administered by the Council.

·       This Sub Committee was required to approve the accounts and annual reports prior to them being submitted to the Charities Commission.

·       There was a verbal update in relation to the progress on the internal audit of the charities as outlined in paragraph 8.9 of the report, as a draft report was still in progress. 

·       The number of volunteers for King George V Charitable Trust was still yet to be confirmed as outlined in Appendix 5, but this number was anticipated to be similar to last year.

In response to a question from Councillor Ian Albert, the Director – Resources advised that these assets were restricted funds which could not be dispersed and that the Council used the standard accounting policy to depreciate these assets over their lifespan. 

Councillor Ian Albert proposed and Councillor Amy Allen seconded, and following a vote, it was

RESOLVED:

(1)   That the Charities Sub-Committee approved the information required by the Charities Commission for the five registered charities, so that the returns can be submitted prior to the 31st January 2026 deadline.

(2)   That the Charities Sub-Committee noted 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 2024/25. 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.