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- the Parochial Church Council and the Farmers Arms when it reopens which are important and particularly so in a small village. We are pleased that the Parish Council is now on a strong footing supported by your new Clerk and set to remain part of the lowest tier of local government.'
- To conclude I would reiterate that this is a new-look council with only one survivor from the beginning of last year (and that includes the clerk) I would like to stress at this point that we are keen to do our best for the parish; some of us are a lot more experienced than others and we rely on your help and support to keep everything running smoothly. We are here to help the parish and especially take advantage of the PC's official status to lobby the higher levels of government and facilitate any parish projects - this of course includes our whole-hearted support for the village hall. My personal preference is for conciliation and I hope to avoid some of the ill-feeling and them-and-us attitudes that have existed in the past. In this regard as a new Chairman of a new council I would like to draw a line under the past so we can move on.
- 2018/25. Financial Report

Responsible Financial Officer to be appointed, this role is governed by Legislation. CFPC opted on 5 Oct 2016 to adopt code of best practice as set out by National Association of Local Councils this is a prescriptive set of requirements for Financial Conduct and Reporting We have a new external auditor appointed by Secretary of State this was previously Grant Thornton LLP and is now PKF Littlejohn LLP. Guidance has been received for preparation and review of accounts to 31 March 2018 Simon Hawes to consider opportunity to avoid audit and have limited review (size exemption for smaller councils) The budget, the 2018/19 budget / planning schedule has been located and it represents very much a business as usual budget. Parish Council Finances are relatively small and straightforward. All amounts following are rounded to nearest £50. Our income is £4,450 (precept = £4,000 + £450 payment from Taunton Deane for transmission to PCC= £4,450) our anticipated expenditure. Cash Reserves were assumed to be £6k · Clerk = £1,735 · Election costs = £200 · Insurance = £420 · Burial ground = £300 · Village Tidying = £650 · Village Garden = £300 · Misc (includes contingency) = £500 The cash balance as per Lloyds as at 31 December 2017 was £8,166.23. The cash balance have improved over the last few years, predominantly because no full time Parish Clerk had been employed. Receipt of this years 2018/19 precept has further increased the cash balance. As at 10 Apr2018, the Cash Balance per Lloyds had grown to £11,406.23. This overstates the true position, as there are a number of liabilities which require settling (eg: Gemma's payments, sundry invoices etc) Insurance, letter dated 19 April 2017 from AoN, the Renewal date 1 June 2017 with a premium of £409.93 the long term agreement which gives us discount of 5% committed until 1 June 2018 but if we EVER withdraw, we have to repay all the discounts. The council risk incl Legal liabilities, money, theft by employees, accidental wrongdoing by council officers, libel, slander at the moment the policy is legal expenses - £250k, officials Indemnity - £500k, personal Accident - capital £100k and weekly benefit £20, Set limit for property cover (assets). A further Letter dated 28 July 2017 states that AoN has withdrawn from Local Councils market. BHIB Ltd will supply renewal quotation. The renewal offers opportunity to consider if historical policy is appropriate? Total cost of assets listed is £1,523.43 In Conclusion we need to progress on preparing accounts for 2017/18, CFPC has ample funds at this time. RFO's opinion is that it's not the role of the PC to sit on excess funds as council tax payer's money designed to be spent for benefit of all parishioners. We are earning no interest. A detailed monthly projections required but if current underlying cash is say,c £11,400 less one year's annual expenditure of c£4,500 this makes available funds = £6,900. If £2,000 was made available to the Village Hall, this would leave £4,900.This might suggest, depending on the size of 'buffer' that the PC felt appropriate, some level of fu rther funding was available for any other project that the PC felt appropriate

- 2018/26. Somerset County Councillor (Mike Rigby) report

Did not attend but had been invited

Minutes from Combe Florey Parish Council May 02nd 2018

Signed: ………………………………………[Chairman]