AT A MEETING of the HAMPSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE held at the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, Eastleigh on 26 July 2005
PRESENT:
Councillors: P.R.C. Hutcheson (in the Chair); I. Beagley; K. House; R.H. Price;
R. Smith and M.J. Woodhall
1. APOLOGIES
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors M.F. Cartwright, P.A. Heath, H. Jones and D. Simpson.
2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Members were mindful that, where they believed they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should, normally at the time of debate, declare their interest and having regard to the circumstances described in paragraphs 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the Fire Authority's Code of Conduct consider whether to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed.
There were no declarations of interest made by members under this item.
3. MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 26 April, 2005 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
4. DEPUTATIONS
There were no deputations made under this item.
5. FINAL ACCOUNTS 2004/05
The Committee considered the report of the Treasurer and Chief Officer (Item 5 in the Minute Book) detailing spending of the Authority for the last financial year which addressed the Authority's £4.3m underspending.
The report proposed setting up four reserves including a capital payments reserve for £2.5m. This could be used to fund the acquisition of vehicles which would have otherwise been financed by loan over the coming three years. This was an established policy goal of members, building on the revenue contributions now built into the budget. In the long term this represented the most economical method of acquiring vehicles as adopting this method of financing would reduce loan financing and repayment costs.
The Committee were advised that following publication of the agenda papers major structural problems had been identified at Basingstoke Fire Station. In order to make the building safe emergency remedial repairs had been authorised by the Chief Officer. The precise budgetary implications were unknown, however, it was reported that members would be given regular updates and that a report would be submitted to the next meeting of the Asset Management Working Group.
RESOLVED:
(a) That the accounts for 2004/05 be approved.
(b) That capital payments for the year be financed as set out in paragraph 4.2 to the report.
(c) That the Treasury Management activities set out in paragraph 5 to the report and prudential indicators set out in appendix 3 to the report be approved.
(d) That the internal control statement as set out in appendix 4 to the report be noted.
(e) That the Committee receive a report on how the modernisation reserve will be spent over the next two years as part of the next budget monitoring report.
6. DRAFT STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2004/05
The Committee considered the report of the Treasurer (Item 6 in the Minute Book) detailing the draft statement of accounts for 2004/05.
In considering the report discussions centred on the establishment of an Accounts Panel to approve the Final Accounts and Statement of Accounts from 2005/06 onwards. The Committee considered that an additional panel was not necessary and that the Final Accounts and Statement of Accounts could be approved at an extra meeting of the Committee in June.
RESOLVED:
(a) That the draft Statement of Accounts as set out in appendix 1 to the report be approved, subject to the formal approval of the Authority Assurance Statement by the Governance Committee.
(b) That an additional meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee be timetabled into the 2006 committee timetable and thereafter for the purpose of approving the Final Accounts and Statement of Accounts.
7. BUDGET MONITORING 2005/06 (1)
The Committee considered the report of the Treasurer and Chief Officer (Item 7 in the Minute Book) detailing the latest budget predictions for the year - £625,000 underspend with the possibility that this will increase during the year.
It was reported that following the publication of the agenda papers the number of retirements had increased from the 3 when the report was prepared to 12 which demonstrated the volatility of this budget head.
In respect of modernisation and Gershon Savings it was reported that an e-mail had been received from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) setting out a consultation document on reporting efficiencies. It was noted that a report on this would be submitted to the Fire Authority meeting in September.
In response to questions about the increased cost of refurbishment of the proposed refurbishment of the Headquarters' reception area, the Director of Corporate Services explained that the figure included the provision of temporary accommodation to relocate staff during the works to reception and also the cost of temporary accommodation for the main Headquarters' development scheme.
RESOLVED:
That it be a RECOMMENDATION to the Authority that:
(a) The latest budget position be noted and the intention to use the under spending towards the modernisation costs as set out in the Final Accounts (Minute No. 5 refers) be approved.
(b) The latest capital starts values as set out in appendix B to the report be approved.
8. CODE OF PRACTICE RELATING TO CONTRACTS
The Committee considered the report of the Chief Officer (Item 8 in the Minute Book) setting out the annual report on contracts for goods and services where each contract value was likely to exceed £50,000.
RESOLVED:
That the annual report on contracts be noted.
9. APPOINTMENTS TO THE ASSET MANAGEMENT WORKING GROUP
The Committee considered the report of the Clerk (Item 9 in the Minute Book) seeking approval to the appointment of members to the Asset Management Working Group. In considering the appointments the Committee were of the opinion that membership of the Group should be increased from 4 to 5.
Accordingly it was RESOLVED:
That the following members be appointed to the Asset Management Working Group;
P.R.C. Hutcheson (Chairman)
R.H. Price,
D. Horne,
K. House
M.J. Woodhall.
(Note: Councillor P.A. Heath is an ex officio member of the Working Group as Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee).