1 Jul 2025 – Finance Meeting (Minutes)

GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL
Finance Committee

Minutes of meeting: Tuesday 1st July 2025
Whittle Hall Community Centre

Chair: Cllr T Williams
Present: Cllr N Catlow
Cllr B Simpson

In Attendance: K Carter (Clerk)

1. To receive and approve any apologies for unavoidable absence.
Apologies were received from Cllrs Watson & Pennington.

2. To approve the minutes of previous meeting 3/6/2025.
The draft minutes were moved and accepted as a true record of the meeting and signed as
such.

FINANCE/2025/57: Resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 6th May 2025 as
a true record.

3. To consider the grant offer from the Football Foundation for the Parish Playing Field
and decide whether to accept.

The Parish Council has £95,000 set aside in earmarked reserves for this project. The Football
Foundation has made a grant offer of £159,891 towards the installation of a drainage system
on the Parish Playing Field. This was based on a previous quote from the contractor rather
than the most recent. Unfortunately, the quote has risen because of increases in material
costs and this means that there is still a shortfall of around £20,000. It was agreed that the
grant application process has been lengthy and particularly difficult but that there is still a need
for the drainage system to improve the usability of the field. The project will benefit a large
number of residents, ensuring that the field is available year-round. It was agreed to accept the
grant and increase the Parish Council’s contribution to the project to make sure it can go
ahead.

FINANCE/2025/58: Recommended to accept the grant offer from the Football Foundation of
£159,891 and make up any shortfall through the Parish Council’s budget (Open Spaces Act
1906 s10).

It was also noted that, once complete, the budget for the maintenance of the field will need
increasing to ensure the necessary enhance grounds maintenance can be undertaken to keep
the field in good working order. It may be possible in the future to bring this element inhouse
but will need contracting out in the first instance. The Parish Estates Committee will consider
the ongoing maintenance, the pitch configuration, booking fees and management plan for the
pitches.

4. To be informed of additional solicitors’ fees in respect of Sankey Station.

The council agreed to the lease with Arch Co. for the station house building at the June
meeting of the full council (Parish/2025/65). The sub-lease between Sankey Station CIC and
the parish council will be deferred until the CIC has completed the necessary works to raise
the EPC rating to the required level. This requires an additional document – an Agreement for

FC/2025/26
5.8.25
Chair’s Signature:
GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL
Finance Committee

Minutes of meeting: Tuesday 1st July 2025
Whittle Hall Community Centre

Lease – between the CIC and the council to give them permission to enter the property to
undertake the repairs before the sub-lease is signed. The legal process has been very
complicated and required more work than originally envisaged. The solicitor has therefore
advised that costs have risen; a breakdown has been provided and a request made for an
interim payment of £3,000 +VAT. Total costs will be in the region of £8,250 + VAT which will
be drawn from earmarked reserves for the project.

FINANCE/2025/59: Recommended to accept the fees for the additional legal documentation
required for the Station House (Agreement for Lease with Sankey Station Community
Association CIC). To approve an interim payment of £3,000 + VAT for the legal works
completed to date (LGA 1972 s124).

The Finance Committee also discussed the management of the project as it moves forward
and requested an agenda item for the Parish Council meeting to set up a working group which
will work with the CIC to produce a Memorandum of Understanding to detail the relationship
and agreements between the two parties.

FINANCE/2025/60: Resolved to request the Parish Council sets up a working group to work
with Sankey Station CIC to agree details between the two organisations within a Memorandum
of Understanding (LGA 1972 s124).

5. To consider proposal for research on the history of Great Sankey Parish Council.

This was referred back to the Community Projects Committee as it is an extension of an
existing project being undertaken.

6. To scrutinise financial expenditure arising since the last meeting, including payments
by Direct Debit.

A list of payments to be made had been circulated prior to the meeting. The following
payments were considered and approved.

Presented By Description Amount, £
N Cubbins Fairground hire – Fun Day 25 14,949.00
P Watson High Vis Vests – Fun Day 25 56.96
S Mahon Plumbing Supply & Fit new outside tap 95.00
Amy Doyle Circus skills workshop 235.00
Evolve Guarding Solutions X3 SIA staff – Fun Day 372.60
Little L’s Teapot Fun Day Marshall refreshments 68.70
Woodend Nursery 5 Manure bags 27.00
Jules Glorious Food Fun Day Marshall refreshments 80.00
St Johns Ambulance Fun Day First Aid Cover 400.32
Radio Warrington Fun Day Compere 450.00
Woodend Nursery Manure – all sites 43.20
B&B Hygiene Ltd Cleaning supplies 378.61
Viking Ltd Office Stationery 236.02
MKM Timber Frame screw 45.10

FC/2025/27
5.8.25
Chair’s Signature:
GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL
Finance Committee

Minutes of meeting: Tuesday 1st July 2025
Whittle Hall Community Centre

MKM Thermo Gloves 20.45
Trade UK Toilet Repairs – HL/TP 58.98
Trade UK Brass shank Valve – Centre repair HM 16.48
Trade UK Flexible Hose – Centre repair BB 2.56
Trade UK Centre repairs – BB 53.43
B&B Hygiene Ltd Cleaning Supplies 439.91
WBC Delivery & Collection bins Fun Day 20.00
WBC Bin hire Fun Day 84.40
WBC Hood Manor Service Charge 01/07/25 to 30/09/25 382.89
Trade UK Concrete Screws 19.97
Trade UK Sealant Gun 7.49
Trade UK Swirl Toilet Seat 27.98
Taylor Rose Interim legal fees – Station House 3600.00
Amazon Cleaning supplies 55.56
Trade UK Valved Masks 20.98
Amazon Floor Cleaning Detergent 43.08
Wild Tribe 50% outstanding Face painting Fun Day 165.00
Equals card Petty cash top-up 257.97
Alan Nugent Travel Reimbursement 92.70
Total 22,807.34

FINANCE/2025/61: Resolved to authorise all payments listed (under LGA 1976 s19 or LGA
1972 s15(5), s101, 111, 112, 133, 142 or 137).

The following direct debits on the Council’s account during May were also checked:

Novuna 01/05/2025 Electric Van Lease 456.20
BT 01/05/2025 WIFI/Telephone WH 264.18
Lex Autolease 01/05/2025 Council Electric Van Lease 851.98
Water Plus 01/05/2025 Water charges BB 79.91
Water Plus 01/05/2025 Water charges HM 50.95
Water Plus 01/05/2025 Water charges WH 74.96
BT 02/05/2025 WIFI/Telephone TP 24.78
ICO 02/05/2025 Data protection fee Office 47.00
BT 07/05/2025 WIFI/Telephone HL/TP/BB/HM 385.33
Peninsula 12/05/2025 H&S Service H&S 200.93
Global 4 Communication 14/05/2025 Office 365/email Office 106.38
SSE Energy 20/05/2025 Electric TP 1121.04
Water Plus 21/05/2025 Water charges TP 80.89
Lex Autolease 29/05/2025 Council Electric Van Lease 414.00
SSE Energy 30/05/2025 Electric HM 187.93
SSE Energy 30/05/2025 Electric WH 118.47
SSE Energy 30/05/2025 Electric BB 209.78

FC/2025/28
5.8.25
Chair’s Signature:
GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL
Finance Committee

Minutes of meeting: Tuesday 1st July 2025
Whittle Hall Community Centre

SSE Energy 30/05/2025 Electric HL 76.65
WBC 30/05/2025 March Business Rates TP 235.00
WBC 30/05/2025 March Business Rates HM 147.00
WBC 30/05/2025 March Business Rates WH 156.00
WBC 30/05/2025 March Business Rates BB 125.00
Utility Warehouse 30/05/2025 Mobile phones Office 56.68
Service Fee Charge 30/05/2025 Service Charge Office 23.85
TOTAL £5494.89

7. To consider any quotes received and authorise or make recommendations to full
Council where appropriate.

Three quotes had been obtained for the Horticulture Apprentice to undertake B+E trailer
training & test. The quotes ranged from £640 to £1150 +VAT. A couple of other companies
were suggested, and it was agreed to set a maximum budget of £1000 within which the Head
Gardener could research and approve the training.

FINANCE/2025/62: Resolved to set a maximum budget of £1000 for trailer training & testing
for the Horticulture Apprentice to be managed by the Head Gardener.

8. To consider requests for financial assistance.

None.

9. Budget 2025-26: to scrutinise documentation and when satisfied as to correctness to
sign off financial reports and bank reconciliations for May.

The bank reconciliation and budget monitoring pages for May were considered and accepted.
Checks on financial transactions were carried out prior to the meeting by Cllrs Williams,
Simpson and Catlow. It was noted that a transfer would need to be made next month from the
Instant Access Savings to the Current Account for July expenditure.

FINANCE/2025/63: Resolved to accept the bank reconciliation and budget monitoring pages
for May 2025 (Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 reg 4).

10. To authorise payment of wages, tax and ERNIC for June.

The list of wages to be paid was considered and authorised. Total Employment Costs
(including salaries, pensions & HMRC) were £22,719.99.

FINANCE/2025/64: Resolved to authorise payment of wages and HMRC costs (£22,719.99
total) for June 2025 (LGA 1972 s112).

FC/2025/29
5.8.25
Chair’s Signature: