21 Oct 2025 – Finance Meeting (Minutes)

GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL
Finance Committee

Minutes of meeting: Tuesday 21st October 2025
Whittle Hall Community Centre

Chair: Cllr T Williams
Present: Cllr N Catlow
Cllr P Watson
Cllr S Pennington
Cllr B Simpson

In Attendance: K Carter (Clerk)

1. To receive and approve any apologies for unavoidable absence.
All present.

2. To approve the minutes of previous meeting 30/9/2025.
The draft minutes were moved and accepted as a true record of the meeting and signed as
such.

FINANCE/2025/91: Resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 30th September
2025 as a true record.

3. Aim of the meeting
This was an initial discussion of the council’s budget and requirements over the next 3 years.
The Finance Committee is aiming to put forward a plan to ensure the council can appropriately
manage both revenue and planned capital expenditure. To this end, the Parish Clerk provided
a breakdown of the current budget, fully categorised and separated into fixed and variable
expenditure, current capital projects (earmarked reserves) and income. A 3-year forecast was
also provided as a basis for discussion.

4. To be advised of the current budget, including detailed cost codes
It was noted that the council is currently on track within the profiled I/E to break even by the
year end.

5. To consider fixed expenditure
The fixed expenditure for the council largely relates to the running of the community centres
and upkeep of the council’s green spaces. The largest element of expenditure, as with most
organisations, is staff salaries and associated costs. The current horticultural apprentice
should complete his course in the next 4-5 months and will be offered a full-time position as a
gardener with the council. Consideration had been given to taking on a 2nd horticultural
apprentice towards the end of this financial year; however, it was suggested that this is
delayed until some of the other fixed expenditure is clarified. For example, enhanced
maintenance will be required on the Parish Playing Field once the drainage system has been
installed. Indicative costs for this were received at the start of the project which have been
used as placeholders, but quotes are currently being sought to clarify the costs.

FINANCE/2025/92: Recommended to defer taking on another Horticultural Apprentice to the
2027-28 financial year. To be considered during the budget setting process in Autumn 2026.

It was also noted that the leases on the electric vans expire in February 2028 and June 2028.
Renewal options will be discussed over the next couple of years, including consideration of
2nd-hand vehicles.

FC/2025/41 4-11-25
Chair’s Signature:
GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL
Finance Committee

Minutes of meeting: Tuesday 21st October 2025
Whittle Hall Community Centre

6. To consider additional expenditure
Additional expenditure for the council are items that the council could decide to
increase/reduce in scope or cancel altogether. The committee discussed each of these items
and the value they bring to the community and residents. Most were considered beneficial.

The donations budget was examined. It was agreed to reduce the potential donation to
Warrington Armed Forces Day to a maximum of £1,500. The council entered into an
agreement to support the event over the last 3 years with a £3000 donation each year. That
agreement has now ended and after last year’s event, the organiser was confident that they
had secured more funding. It was therefore proposed that the council should wait for a request
from the group for 2026 if required. A similar situation has occurred with Warrington Food
Bank, although on a less formal basis. The committee recommended setting aside £1,000 for
a donation should a request be made to the council.

FINANCE/2025/93: Recommended that the regular donations to Warrington Armed Forces
Day and Warrington Food Bank are reduced and donation given on request from those
organisations.

It was noted that the Community Projects Committee is discussing options for increasing
income from Sankey Fun Day to mitigate costs whilst still trying to provide a low-cost day for
families in the parish. It was also suggested the council could review the summer playscheme
in the same way (provided for 6 weeks in the school summer holidays).

The committee discussed the PCSO costs which are a significant sum. It was agreed to clarify
whether there are the still the 3 Police-funded ward PCSO’s as the Parish-funded post should
be in addition to these. Once the information has been received, the committee may propose
re-negotiation of costs or of the service provided.

7. To review earmarked reserves
The council currently has earmarked reserves for several projects: Sankey Station, Estates
Office/Childs Wood Field, and the Parish Playing Field drainage system.

The Parish Estates Committee has secured funding to start the necessary surveys to look at
the feasibility of building an Estates Office and base on Childs Wood Field, but it is also keen
to explore the development of the remaining space for community use. The Finance
Committee therefore believes this fund should be increased to allow the implementation of this
project.

At present, there is no fund set aside for replacement playground equipment which the council
has on both Tim Parry Recreation Ground and Vicarage Community Park; a separate reserve
should be set up for this purpose.

The general (emergency) reserve was also discussed which is currently at £100,000 and has
been for many years. Guidelines suggest that this fund should cover around 3months of
general expenditure which is detailed in the council’s Reserves Policy. Since the council’s
services and budgets have increased over time, this reserve should also be reviewed. It was
agreed to increase the general reserve by £10k a year over a 3-year period.

FC/2025/42 4-11-25
Chair’s Signature:
GREAT SANKEY PARISH COUNCIL
Finance Committee

Minutes of meeting: Tuesday 21st October 2025
Whittle Hall Community Centre

FINANCE/2025/94: Recommended that the earmarked reserves for Childs Wood Field are
built up to allow for the development of community space and that a new reserve is created for
the replacement of playground equipment.

FINANCE/2025/95: Recommended that the general reserve is increased by £10k per year
over the next 3 years.

8. To consider income
The council’s main source of income other than the precept is from the hire of the community
centres. The Finance Committee recognised at their last meeting that this is not income per
se, but functions to reduce the level of subsidy from the precept to operate the centres. The
council recently approved an increase in the hire rates for the community centres to mitigate
the increases in staff wages, NI rates and general operating costs. The Finance Committee
aims to set a specific level of subsidy (c. £75,000) for the community centres and implement
further phased increases in hire rates to meet this level, as well as considering a framework to
link hire rates to the CPI.

FINANCE/2025/96: Recommended that the council sets a specific subsidy level for the
community centres with phased increases in hire rates implemented to meet this level and a
framework drawn up to link hire rates to the CPI.

9. To discuss precept
It was agreed that the precept could not be discussed at this time until the above items are
clarified. The 3-year budget will be amended with the recommendations noted and referred
back to the next Finance Committee meeting as well as full council.

FC/2025/43 4-11-25
Chair’s Signature: