Policy, Resources & Communications

Agenda

HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL

To:      All Members of the Policy Resources & Communications Committee: Paul Shepherd (Chair), Ian Weir (Vice-Chair), Maria Angelaki-King, Lesley Cruickshank-Robb,
Frances Gaudencio, Don McBeth with copies to all other Councillors for information.

A meeting of the POLICY RESOURCES & COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE on Tuesday 28 April 2026 at 7.30pm in the Council Chamber, Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks

Parish Clerk 22 April 2026

Members of the public are encouraged to come to the meetings and there is an opportunity for them to address the Council relating to the non-confidential items on the published agenda. A period of 15 minutes will be set aside in item 4 Public participation. It may be necessary to consider particular items in confidential session and where this arises, these items will be considered at the end of the agenda.

1. TO ACCEPT APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

2. TO ACCEPT DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

3. MINUTES. To accept the Minutes of the Policy Resources & Communications Committee held on 17 March 2026. (Previously Circulated).

4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

5. COMMUNICATIONS (Verbal update).

6. STAFFING (Verbal update).

7. BUDGET MONITORING– the agreed budget provides a basis for monitoring progress during the year by comparing actual spending and income against what was planned. Members are asked to review the budget monitoring fourth quarter report for the period 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026 to check on the outturn for the financial year. (Appendix 1). Please click here to view Appendix 1.

8. FINANCIAL SCRUTINY– Members are asked to note that on 7 Apr 2026 Cllrs Shepherd and Angelaki-King reviewed the financial paperwork for the period Jan-Mar 2026, in accordance with the Bank Verification Procedures.

9. DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTIONS –Members are asked to note the information regarding the allocation of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and S106 allocations to support infrastructure projects in Hassocks (Appendix 2). Please click here to view Appendix 2.

10. RISK MANAGEMENT – Members are asked to consider the report and updated Risk Register (Appendix 3) to ensure they are satisfied with the Council’s risk management approach. Please click here to view Appendix 3.

Members are asked to review the draft Risk Register and RECOMMEND it to Council for approval

11. INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS – At Full Council on 10 February 2026, the Clerk/RFO was authorised to open three Fixed Term Deposit Accounts with Virgin Money, Natwest and Lloyds Bank and an investment account with CCLA. New accounts have now been opened with Virgin Money and the CCLA Public Sector Deposit Fund (PSDF). An application to Natwest Bank was withdrawn as it would require two signatories, to attend in person in branch (Haywards Heath), to withdraw funds. A pending application has been submitted to Lloyds Bank for two Fixed Term Deposit Accounts. Lloyds Banking Group has two Banking Licences, one under Lloyds and a second under Bank of Scotland so the Council would be covered twice under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme limit. In accordance with Financial Regulation 6.8iv, the Clerk/RFO needs authorisation to make fund transfers of over £30,000, therefore:

Members are requested to AUTHORISE the Clerk to make two fund transfers of

• £120,000 from the Barclays Tracker Account (3548) to the CCLA PDSF Account (5479) and
• £120,000 from the Barclays Tracker Account (3548) to the Virgin Money Fixed Term Deposit Account (9240).

12. INTERNAL AUDIT QUOTATION – in accordance with the Council’s Financial Regulations an internal auditor must be appointed to evaluate risk management, control and governance processes in accordance with the Practioners’ Guide. The internal auditor must be competent and independent of the financial operations of the Council. The current contract for services has expired and the Council is invited to renew for a further three financial years 2026/27, 2027/28, 2028/29 (Appendix 4). Provision has been made in the 2026/2027 budget to pay for any costs incurred in respect of the internal audit. A benchmarking exercise has found that the costs are comparable or better than similar specialist accountancy firms. Please click here to view Appendix 4.

Members and are asked to APPROVE the re-appointment of Mulberry Local Authority Servies Ltd as the internal auditor for a three-year engagement period (2026-29).

13. URGENT MATTERS at the discretion of the Chair for noting and/or inclusion on a future agenda.

14. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – to be agreed

FILMING, RECORDING OF COUNCIL MEETINGS AND USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
During this meeting members of the public may film or record the Committee and officers from the public area only providing it does not disrupt the meeting. The Confidential section of the meeting may not be filmed or recorded. If a member of the public objects to being recorded, the person(s) filming must stop doing so until that member of the public has finished speaking. The use of social media is permitted but members of the public are requested to switch their mobile devices to silent for the duration of the meeting.