Question: To follow or not follow
First, residents have noted that the Health and Wellbeing Centre accounts are again listed as “to follow”. Given the scale of the loan and the ongoing uncertainty around the Centre’s financial position, when will a full and up-to-date breakdown of income, expenditure, staffing costs, and loan commitments be published? A firm date would be helpful for public confidence. – The Council has been waiting for a correction of the accounts from Bolsover District Council. Rather than delay reporting the accounts for another month, the item was included on the agenda with the accounts now issued to Councillors.
Second, the Service Level Agreement for the Centre still appears unresolved. Could the Council confirm when the SLA will be completed and when the public will be able to see the full document? – Please see attached update within the Clerks Report to be considered by Council tomorrow. (see agenda pack)
The agenda also asks members to approve four months of bank reconciliations and accounts in a single meeting. Can the Council explain why financial reporting has fallen this far behind, and whether it accepts that approving so many months at once limits meaningful scrutiny? – The Council has been experiencing issues with its Scribe accounting system, this position has been reported at all recent meetings. I am pleased to confirm that these matters have now been resolved and a return to monthly reporting should follow.
Residents have also asked about the NALC recommendations. The Action Plan is listed under Item 82, but no detail or papers have been made available. Could the Council outline what progress has been made on each recommendation, and when a full update will be brought into the public domain? – Please find attached report to be considered by Council tomorrow. (see agenda pack)
With regard to the Property Scrutiny Committee, all agenda items were presented as verbal updates only. Without written reports or action tracking, it is not clear how effective scrutiny can take place. Can the Council explain why written reporting is not being provided to the committee? – The Council continues to operate with its permanent administrative headcount of 40 hours per week, and although it recognises the heightened public interest in its operations, dealing with extensive enquiries does bring additional administrative pressures that otherwise could be delivering activities such as reports to this committee.
Given the continuing issues at the Wellbeing Centre, residents have also asked why it is not a standing agenda item in its own right, rather than a short note under the Clerk’s report. Will the Council commit to giving this matter the prominence it warrants until the situation is resolved? – Standing agenda items are poor practice, appropriately detailed agenda items are included as necessary.
The agenda also proposes cancelling the December meeting. In light of the outstanding work on financial reporting, Wellbeing Centre governance, and unaddressed NALC actions, can the Council explain how cancellation would support good governance? – The meeting is scheduled just two weeks after the November meeting, it is therefore the officers recommendation this meeting be cancelled and resources spent delivering outcomes and not administration for the meeting.
A further point relates to the number of reports marked “to follow”. Publishing documents shortly before, or on the night of, a meeting makes it difficult for councillors and the public to review material properly. When will the Council return to circulating full papers at least three clear days in advance? – As noted above, delays have arisen due to a combination of late information from Bolsover District Council and Scribe software issues, it is not the intention to routinely issue documents out with the agenda.
Finally, the report on LGPS enrolment is proposed for exclusion. Could the Council confirm the specific legal grounds for this exclusion, and whether a redacted version of the report can be made public afterwards? – The decision will be published in the minutes as a public record.
1) In August 90% of Parish Council expenditure was paid to Bolsover District Council, why so much Parish Council money being paid to Bolsover District Council.
Please see detail for each payment:
2) In July there was a payment of over £20,000 made to Bolsover District Council this was a repayment on the BDC loan, when will this loan be repaid and what interest rate is currently being charged on this loan.
The loan was taken out in September 2024 and will end September 2034; this leaves eight years remaining on the loan. The interest rate was set at 6.25% and Bolsover District Council will under no circumstances negotiate the terms. However, they will stop interest if the loan is paid off early.