TOWN HALL COMMITTEE MEETING

MONDAY 20TH APRIL 2009

Present :-   Cllr C. Dryden (Chair), Cllr P. Allen, Cllr C. Lofts, Cllr J. Lynch, Cllr C. Stanger

 

1.    Apologies for Absence

Cllr J. Godwin, Cllr J. Hart

 

2.    Declarations of Interest

None.

 

3.    Open to the Public

No members of the public were present.

 

4.    Request for Reduced Rates

a)    The British Heart Foundation (retrospective)

Correspondence from Mrs Gill Burman, Fundraiser for the British Heart Foundation, requests reduced rates for her Charity Dinner and Dance held at the Town Hall on 23rd March 2009 .

 

Proposal

Cllr Lynch proposed that a 50% reduction be granted to the British Heart Foundation for its hire of the Town Hall on 23rd March 2009; seconded by Cllr Allen, all in favour.

 

b)    Towcester Evening W. I.

Correspondence from Mrs Eileen Reid requests reduced rates for the Towcester Evening W. I. Quiz Night to be held at the Town Hall on 10th July 2009 .

 

Proposal

Cllr Allen proposed that a 50% reduction be granted to Towcester Evening W. I. for its hire of the Town Hall on 10th July 2009 ;

seconded by Cllr Lynch, all in favour.

 

5.    Non-domestic rates 2009/10

A demand for £6098.00 has been received in respect of the Town Hall non-domestic rates for the 2009/10 financial year. The Clerk confirmed that this represents a 4.9% increase on the previous year but comes within the budget of £6390.00.

 

6.    Finance

a)    Cheques Issued

The Clerk distributed copies of the Cheques Issued List (cheque numbers 004405 to 004435) to committee members. Most items were ongoing, the following cheque numbers were noted:-

 

004429 / £533.00 to Smiths Fire – the Clerk confirmed that problems with the Town Hall alarm system resulted in the alarm panel being replaced.

004428 / £100.00 to Smiths Fire – call out charges relating to problems with the alarm system.

004433 / £6098.87 to South Northants Council – non domestic rates charges for 2009/10.

004425 / £294.60 to D. J. Hutchings – minor repairs at the Town Hall and installation of baby changing facilities.

004434 & 004435 to Mrs A. Wootton and Mr J. Wootton – wages for Town Hall caretaking and cleaning in April. The Clerk confirmed that all wages payments have now been altered from weekly to monthly as there were occasional problems finding cheque signatories.

 

The committee agreed for the Chair and R. F. O. to sign the Cheques Issued List.

 

b)    Budget Transactions to 31.03.2009

The Clerk distributed copies of the Financial Budget Comparison to all committee members:-

 

INCOME

Office rents                  Budget £25,500       Actual: £26,939

The Clerk reported a slight increase in income from office rents resulting from rent negotiations

Hall hire                       Budget £19,632       Actual £18,516

The reduction in income from hall hire was anticipated earlier in the year due to a number of cancelled bookings

Meeting Room hire        Budget £1,520        Actual £642

The loss of the N. C. C. Adult Education classes is reflected in the income received from Meeting Room hire

S. N. C. Grant               Budget £26,635      Actual £26,635

Decorating Fund            Budget £11,000      Actual £11,000

A further £9,000 was added to the c/forward budget of from 2007/08 to bring the total to £20,000 for internal redecoration works

 

Total       Budget £153,736.00     Actual £152,677.00

 

EXPENDITURE

Town Hall Cleaning        Budget £7,590       Actual £7,712

Town Hall caretaking;

Weekday                      Budget £920          Actual £885

Weekend                      Budget £875          Actual £675

Holiday Cover                Budget £845          Actual £785

The loss of bookings resulted in reduced expenditure on both weekday and weekend caretaking

Initial Textile Dryers       Budget £1,650       Actual £1,850

Floor Protection Mats    Budget £644          Actual £561

Telephone / Fax            Budget £1025        Actual £975

Utilities

Gas                             Budget £2,900         Actual £3,397

Electricity                     Budget £3,100        Actual £4,690

Non-domestic rates       Budget £5,682        Actual £5,809

Town Hall Insurance      Budget £4,320        Actual £4,491

Water rates                  Budget £730           Actual £784

Miscellaneous             Budget £0.00           Actual £130

Purchase of new crockery for the kitchen

Legal fees                    Budget £450           Actual £0.00

Agents fees                 Budget £250           Actual £0.00

General Maintenance    Budget £7,000        Actual £1,931

Town Hall Decoration    Budget £9,000        Actual £20,063

£11,000 was carried forward from the 2007/08 to bring the total to £20,000 for the internal redecoration works

Town Hall Floor             Budget £2,000        Actual £2,000

A further £2,000 was added to the Town Hall floor fund

Equipment                    Budget £250           Actual £97

Fire Extinguishers         Budget £446           Actual £615

Electrical Works           Budget £500           Actual £1,802

A number of electrical works were carried out at the Town Hall including works to repair the ceiling fans.

Fire alarm system         Budget £0.00          Actual £693

Toilet refurbishments     Budget £10,000       Actual £5814

Floor covering                                             Actual £1866

The committee agreed to proceed with works to replace the floor covering in the communal areas from the residual budget for the toilet refurbishments

External refurbishment   Budget £45,000       Actual £68144

Fees                                                          Actual £5451

The TC received a grant of £23,635 from S. N. C. to meet the cost of the external refurbishment works.

 

Total       £115,677       Actual £151,968

 

Income Actual            £152,677

Expenditure Actual    £151,968

                                        £ 709

 

Noted.