Agenda item
Updates: Budget, 10 Year Maintenance Plan, Summer Activities, Proposed New 5-a-side Astro Pitches at Stepney Green
- Meeting of King George's Field Charity Board, Wednesday, 18th December, 2019 6.00 p.m., MOVED (Item 3.1)
- View the background to item 3.1
To follow.
Minutes:
Note – due to an administrative issue the report was not intended to include a 10 year maintenance plan or Summer Activities list as set out in the report title but it did include draft terms of reference for a King George’s Fund Trust working group].
Stephen Murray, Head of Arts and Events, presented a report to the Board that provided updates on a number of matters:
Budget
Simon Turner from the Accounts Team was introduced as the officer who prepared the accounts.
Members discussed the report and noted a number of significant concerns including that:
· There should be a Trustees Report as a cover to the budget.
· There was a request for separate audit of the accounts rather than relying on the general audit of the Council accounts. Officers undertook to seek an independent audit of the accounts including indication of the level of assurance from an audit.
· Where the accounts set out income and expenditure a lot was backdated to the previous year so did that mean those previous accounts were wrong especially noting that no accounts were submitted to the Charity Commission that year.
· What comment point was being made in respect of salaries in the accounts?
· How much income was being expected from Network Rail?
· How and why had the savings been achieved on security?
During discussion officers highlighted the need for internal council communication to improve so that the service was aware of changes more quickly in areas such as shop income. They also undertook to discuss with the audit service improvements that should be made to the accounts reporting. Members noted that many of these issues had been raised repeatedly at previous meetings.
Concluding the discussion Members agreed that they were not in a position to agree the accounts at this stage and requested an Extraordinary Meeting be arranged following the 29 January Cabinet meeting. In particular they asked to see a full set of accounts with a trustees report, an auditors opinion and answers to the questions on the financial analysis. It was also stated that an item on the Management Accounts should be a standing item on all future agendas.
Sports Pitches
It was explained that the attached report followed a Member request for an impact assessment on the proposed new sports pitches on Stepney Green. The landscaping report set out two options with details on planting and other mitigation measures. Option 2 was given as the preferred option. This was supported by officers. It was explained that funding for the improvements was from reserve film income and that it was hoped the pitches would generate income and also meet the Council’s priorities to encourage sporting activity.
Members discussed the report. They agreed that Option 2 appeared the best option and it was noted that agreement had been provided at a previous meeting. Members indicated that they wished to see a new report which provided full information on the proposals including the reasons for the proposals and the resource planning for the pitches and how the timeline would work (such as around planning application processes etc).
Draft Terms of Reference for a KGFT Working Group
It was noted that the working group was proposed to allow engagement with backbench councillors and other interested parties in the management of the Trust lands. Member welcomed the draft terms of reference as a good first step. They highlighted that it was important the new body could be properly supported by the Council. It was agreed to proceed with the working group as set out and review it later as necessary.
On the above items the Board:
RESOLVED
1. To note the accounts set out in Appendix One but to request that they are returned to a future Extraordinary Meeting with the following additional information:
o A Trustees Cover Report
o An Audit Opinion
o Answers to the financial questions set out above. Noted that appendix 1 details the figures for the end of financial year April 2018 to March 2019. With the headline figure being a surplus of £273,399 and whilst it was noted that these figures are subject to change and clarification it was understood that a healthy surplus will have been achieved within this year;
2. Noted the plans for the new Sports Pitches and but ask that an update be provided to the future Extraordinary Meeting with more information including background to the proposals and financial management plans.
3. To agree the Terms of Reference for the King George’s Field Trust working group.
4. To agree that an Extraordinary Meeting of the King George’s Field Board be established after the 29 January Cabinet meeting to cover the points raised above.
Supporting documents:
- 001 KGFT18thDec2019mainreport, item 3.1 PDF 244 KB
- 002 Appendix1KGFT1819accountsb, item 3.1 PDF 179 KB
- 003 Appendix1aKGFT1819accountsc, item 3.1 PDF 103 KB
- 004 Appendix1bKGFT1819accountsa, item 3.1 PDF 216 KB
- 005 Appendix2areportfiveasidepitches, item 3.1 PDF 7 MB
- 006 Appendix3workinggroupTOR, item 3.1 PDF 24 KB