Finance

The Parish Council’s finances are subject to annual audit after the end of the financial year which runs from 1st April to 31st March.  This ensures residents can be confident the Parish Council is conforming to the financial regulations and procedures required of smaller local authorities.

To view the online audit information, click ‘Annual Returns’ on the right….

The external auditor is appointed via the Smaller Authorities Audit Appointments Ltd and is not appointed by the Parish Council directly.  The independent Internal Auditor is appointed by the parish council; this person is both independent and competent.

The audit process, applicable to all local authorities with an annual turnover of less than £6.5m,  is known as a ‘light-touch’ audit and includes the requirement to publish specific information online.

The Annual Governance and Accountability Return is the standard document which all town and parish councils must complete by 30th June each year.  Along with this we are required to publish on an annual basis a copy of the bank reconciliation as at 31st March, explanations of any significant variances between the current year’s figures and those of the previous year, and the council’s asset register.

The parish council’s financial records are open to public scrutiny during the annual audit, the dates of which will be posted to this website and onto the parish council’s noticeboards in Hewell Road and at the Barnt Green playing field.  Every audit period will last for 30 working days and will include the first ten working days in July each year.  To view the accounts, interested parties are asked to contact the Executive Officer to give notice of intent; the accounts will be available to view in the parish council office at 80 Hewell Road during working hours.

The annual budget is attached below.

A record of receipts and payments is attached to the agenda of each parish council meeting.