Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Aden, Miller and Shah with Councillor Fraser in attendance as an alternate member for Councillor Shah.

Members are invited to declare at this stage of the meeting, the nature and existence of any relevant disclosable pecuniary or personal interests in the item on this agenda and to specify the item(s) to which they relate.

Councillor Georgiou declared a personal interest as one of the Councillors who had signed the Call In request.

Councillor Lorber (in representing the members who had called-in the decision due to be considered at the meeting) declared a personal interest as a member of the Friends of Barham Park Group and Director and Trustee of Barham Community Library.

No other interests were declared at the meeting.

To consider a call-in in respect of the following decision taken by the Barham Park Trust Committee on 26 September 2023:

Barham Park Trust Annual Report and Accounts 2022 - 23

In opening the item, the Chair advised that the meeting had been arranged, in accordance with Standing Order 14, to consider a call-in submitted by five members of the Council in relation to a decision made by the Barham Park Trust Committee (established as a Cabinet Committee) on 26 September 2023 to approve the Barham Park Trust Annual Report and Accounts for 2022 – 23.

In considering the call-in the Chair reminded the Committee that lines of questioning must remain specifically within the remit of the call-in and that issues raised on anything wider than the Barham Park Trust Annual Report and Accounts for 2022-23 would not be valid and would be ruled out for consideration.

Having clarified the basis of the call-in, the Chair then proceeded to invite Councillor Lorber to outline the reasons for the call-in as representative of the members who had supported its submission.

In presenting the call-in, Councillor Lorber highlighted the following key issues for the Committee:

·                As the Barham Park Trust had charity status, it was felt that the Council should ensure that it was managed responsibly and effectively, however Members who submitted the call-in had reservations about the Council’s position as effective Trustees due to concerns that the accounts were not accurate.

·                It was queried why the original accounts had been withdrawn when originally submitted for consideration at the Barham Park Trust Committee meeting on 5^th September 2023 and had then been re-submitted on a different template for the subsequent Committee meeting on 26 September 2023.

·                It was felt that the change from the accounts being produced on an accruals basis to a receivable basis had created ambiguity in being able to accurately compare the previous year’s accounts.

·                Concern was raised in relation to an error which it was felt had been made on the 2022/23 accounts in relation to the received income figure stated, which it was not felt had accurately reflected rental payments from tenant organisations such as Barham Community Library with clarity therefore required on the way that income had been accounted for and included within the final accounts.

·                It was felt that the assets for the Barham Park Trust had been understated by approximately £100k as the result of rent reviews not taking place. It was therefore queried why the trust had failed to implement rent reviews.

·                Concern was also raised in relation to the fees charged for the recent the architectural survey of the Barham Park buildings which had been incurred by the Trust when it had previously been agreed these would be covered by the Council.

·                On the basis of the concerns raised and pending a response on the areas identified for further clarification the members who had called-in the Trust Committee decision felt the accounts could not be treated as final and therefore needed to be reviewed and reconsidered in advance of any submission to the Charity Commission.

The Chair thanked Councillor Lorber for presenting the call-in and then proceeded to invite Councillor Tatler, Deputy  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Notice of items to be raised under this heading must be given in writing to the Head of Executive and Member Services or her representative before the meeting in accordance with Standing Order 60.

None.