ORANGE CITY COUNCIL

Finance Policy Committee

 

Agenda

 

5 May 2015

 

 

Notice is hereby given, in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 1993 that a Finance Policy Committee meeting of ORANGE CITY COUNCIL will be held in the Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Byng Street, Orange on Tuesday, 5 May 2015.

 

 

Garry Styles

General Manager

 

For apologies please contact Michelle Catlin on 6393 8246.

    

 


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                  5 May 2015

Agenda

  

1                Introduction.. 3

1.1            Apologies and Leave of Absence. 3

1.2            Declaration of pecuniary interests, significant non-pecuniary interests and less than significant non-pecuniary interests. 3

2                General Reports. 4

2.1            Statement of Bank Balances as at 21 April 2015. 4

2.2            Combined Rates and Charges Interim Reconciliation as at 21 April 2015. 6

2.3            Request For Financial Assistance. 8

 


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                  5 May 2015

 

1       Introduction

1.1     Apologies and Leave of Absence

1.2     Declaration of pecuniary interests, significant non-pecuniary interests and less than significant non-pecuniary interests

The provisions of Chapter 14 of the Local Government Act, 1993 (the Act) regulate the way in which Councillors and designated staff of Council conduct themselves to ensure that there is no conflict between their private interests and their public role.

The Act prescribes that where a member of Council (or a Committee of Council) has a direct or indirect financial (pecuniary) interest in a matter to be considered at a meeting of the Council (or Committee), that interest must be disclosed as soon as practicable after the start of the meeting and the reasons given for declaring such interest.

As members are aware, the provisions of the Local Government Act restrict any member who has declared a pecuniary interest in any matter from participating in the discussion or voting on that matter, and requires that member to vacate the Chamber.

Council’s Code of Conduct provides that if members have a non-pecuniary conflict of interest, the nature of the conflict must be disclosed. The Code of Conduct also provides for a number of ways in which a member may manage non pecuniary conflicts of interest.

Recommendation

It is recommended that Committee Members now disclose any conflicts of interest in matters under consideration by the Finance Policy Committee at this meeting.

 


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                 5 May 2015

 

 

2       General Reports

2.1     Statement of Bank Balances as at 21 April 2015

TRIM REFERENCE:        2015/1068

AUTHOR:                       Geoffrey Hamilton, Cost Clerk    

 

 

EXECUTIVE Summary

Council operates one Bank Account and is required to carry out a Bank Reconciliation at the end of each month. As at 21 April 2015 the Cash Book Balance was $74,541.51

Link To Delivery/OPerational Plan

The recommendation in this report relates to the Delivery/Operational Plan strategy “1.2 Our City - Information and advice provided for the decision-making process will be succinct, reasoned, accurate, timely and balanced”.

Financial Implications

Nil

Policy and Governance Implications

Nil

 

Recommendation

That the information provided in the report by the Cost Clerk on Statement of Bank Balances as at 21 April 2015 be acknowledged

 

further considerations

Consideration has been given to the recommendation’s impact on Council’s service delivery; image and reputation; political; environmental; health and safety; employees; stakeholders and project management; and no further implications or risks have been identified.


 

 

SUPPORTING INFORMATION

 

STATEMENT OF GENERAL FUND BANK BALANCES AS AT 21 APRIL 2015

 

 

 

 

 

Ticketek

 

 

 

 

General

Suspense

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opening Cash Book Balance 23/3/15 Debit/(Credit)

 

275,732.26

1,685.77

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add Deposits

 

 

 

12,747,921.20

76,448.60

 

 

 

 

 

 

Less Payments

 

 

 

-12,327,111.95

-70,393.66

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add/(Less) Money Market  at Call Account Movement

-622,000.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Closing Cash Book Balance 20/4/15 Debit/(Credit)

 

74,541.51

7,740.71

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance as per Bank Statement

 

 

108,318.14

7,740.71

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add Outstanding Deposits

 

 

-18,099.46

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Less Outstanding Cheques

 

 

-15,677.17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add/(Less) Bank Adjustments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance as per Closing Cash Book Balance above Debit/(O'drawn)

74,541.51

7,740.71

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Legal Overdraft limit all Funds = $20,673,000

 

 

 

Overdraft arranged at bank all funds $ 1,000,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                 5 May 2015

 

 

2.2     Combined Rates and Charges Interim Reconciliation as at 21 April 2015

TRIM REFERENCE:        2015/1073

AUTHOR:                       John Kennedy, Senior Revenue Officer - Rates    

 

 

EXECUTIVE Summary

The following tables and graphs provide details of Rates, Water, Sewer and Garbage Charges raised and collected up to the 3rd quarter of the 2014/15 rating year.

Link To Delivery/OPerational Plan

The recommendation in this report relates to the Delivery/Operational Plan strategy “1.2 Our City - Information and advice provided for the decision-making process will be succinct, reasoned, accurate, timely and balanced”.

Financial Implications

Nil

Policy and Governance Implications

Nil    

 

Recommendation

That the information provided in the report by the Senior Revenue Officer Rates on Combined Rates and Charges Interim Reconciliation as at 21 April 2015 be acknowledged.

 

further considerations

Consideration has been given to the recommendation’s impact on Council’s service delivery; image and reputation; political; environmental; health and safety; employees; stakeholders and project management; and no further implications or risks have been identified.

SUPPORTING INFORMATION

The following report gives details of the combined rates and charges reconciliation as at 21 April 2015. As at that date $2,666,662.63 or 5.77% remains outstanding. As at 16 April 2014, 6.81% of the amount payable remained outstanding.

Debt Collection - Rates

Debt recovery for overdue rates for the 2014/15 year remains satisfactory. A total of 1004 accounts with a value of $1,531,701.88 have been referred to Council’s collection agents to be issued with 7 day letters of demand for rates accounts with arrears balances greater than $800.00.

As at 21 April 2015, 663 accounts with payments totalling $838,030.03 have been finalised after being issued with 7 day letters in 2014/15. The remaining 341 accounts with a debt value of $693,671.95 have current action. Of those accounts, 254 have been placed on hold and/or payment arrangements negotiated for arrears balances.

 

A further 53 accounts with a debt balance of $107,133.49 have progressed in the debt recovery process. The remaining 34 accounts with a debt balance of $55,913.14 are currently being reviewed for issue of Statement of Liquidated Claim following non-payment of the third rates instalment.

 

General Rates

Ordinary Rates YTD 3rd Quarter

2013/2014

2014/2015

$

$

Balance Outstanding

955,031.44

773,391.52

Sewer Charges

Sewer Charges YTD 3rd Quarter

2013/2014

2014/2015

$

$

Balance Outstanding

427,324.04

434,964.86

Water Charges

Water Charges YTD 3rd Quarter

2013/2014

2014/2015

$

$

Balance Outstanding

1,289,830.08

1,317,813.13

Garbage and Recycling Charges

Garbage Charges YTD 3rd Quarter

2013/2014

2014/2015

$

$

Balance Outstanding

300,859.32

140,493.12

 

  


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                 5 May 2015

 

 

2.3     Request For Financial Assistance

TRIM REFERENCE:        2015/1078

AUTHOR:                       Josie Sanders, Management Accountant    

 

 

EXECUTIVE Summary

Council is in receipt of a number of requests for financial assistance under section 356 of the Local Government Act 1993. This report declines requests relating to General and Sports Facility, as both budgets are fully expended.

Link To Delivery/OPerational Plan

The recommendation in this report relates to the Delivery/Operational Plan strategy “3.3 Our City – Recognise that members of the community will take different leadership pathways, the Council will support this growth and development through appropriate activities, initiatives and assistance”.

Financial Implications

If Council resolves as per recommendations of this report, the following balances remain from the 2014/15 Budget.

 

Program

Adopted Budget

Actual & Committed

Remaining Balance

General Donations

176,070

176,070

Nil

Major Promotions

30,000

30,553

Nil

Sports Participant

10,000

4,681.82

5,318.18

Sports Facilities

55,000

54,000

1,000

 

Policy and Governance Implications

Nil

 

Recommendation

1        That Council decline the request for financial assistance from James Sheahan Catholic High School, as the General Donations budget has been fully expended.

2        That Council decline the request from Eva Reith-Snare, from the Sports Participant program, as the applicant has already received funding in this financial year.

3        That Council approve the request from Orange High School for their Literature Team, to be funded from the Sports Participant budget.

4        That Council decline the request from Emus Rugby Club, as they have already    been approved for a donation this financial year.

 

further considerations

Consideration has been given to the recommendation’s impact on Council’s service delivery; image and reputation; political; environmental; health and safety; employees; stakeholders and project management; and no further implications or risks have been identified.

SUPPORTING INFORMATION

Comment from the Director Corporate and Commercial Services

Council will note from the information contained within this report that the General Donations budget and the Major Promotions budget are fully expended. Consequently the requests for donations from these programs have been recommended to be declined.

Council adopted in the December 2014 Quarterly Review for the General Fund a deficit of $65,362. Assigning any additional donations monies for these requests would worsen this deficit position.

However, an option is that, should Council wish to allocate any funding for these requested donations, a further report be brought back identifying specific programs to be taken out of the current Delivery/Operational Plan to free up the necessary funding. This would mean other projects would not be undertaken however.

 

 

Attachments

1          Donation Table, D15/11327

2          James Sheahan Catholic High School, IC15/4518

3          Eva Reith-Snare, IC15/5069

4          Orange High School, IC15/5695

5          Emus Rugby Club, IC15/4318

 


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                                           5 May 2015

2.3                       Request For Financial Assistance

Attachment 1      Donation Table

 

No

Applicant

Amount Sought

Policy Position

Purpose

Comment

Recommendation

To be advertised

A.1

James Sheahan Catholic High School

$3,140

Miscellaneous request – up to $500

Totem Poles Sculpture Project.

To permanently install 3 totem poles in the school grounds.

Budget fully expended.

 

Nil

No

 

No

Applicant

Amount Sought

Policy Position

Purpose

Comment

Recommendation

To be advertised

B.1

Eva Reith-Snare

$100

Eva has already received a donation in this financial year.

Assist with costs associated with 2015 NSWU15 Hockey tournament.

Policy has been applied.

0

No

B.2

Orange High School

$5,000

National/International Representation – Group/team

Assist with costs in sending team of 4 students to the World Finals of the Kids Literature Quiz to be held in the USA in July 2015

Policy has been applied.

$750

No

 

No

Applicant

Amount Sought

Policy Position

Purpose

Comment

Recommendation

To be advertised

C.1

 

Emus Rugby Club

$2000

Emus have already received a donation of $5,000 in this financial year

Roadway Access

Policy has been applied.

Nil

Yes

 


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                     5 May 2015

2.3                       Request For Financial Assistance

Attachment 2      James Sheahan Catholic High School


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                     5 May 2015

2.3                       Request For Financial Assistance

Attachment 3      Eva Reith-Snare


 


 


 


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                     5 May 2015

2.3                       Request For Financial Assistance

Attachment 4      Orange High School


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


Finance Policy Committee                                                                                     5 May 2015

2.3                       Request For Financial Assistance

Attachment 5      Emus Rugby Club