Policies : see main Parish Council page.
Announcements :
GORING HEATH PARISH COUNCIL
NOTICE OF CONCLUSION OF ANNUAL AUDIT
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015
1The audit of accounts for GORING HEATH PARISH COUNCIL
for the year ended 31 March 2023 has been completed and the accounts have been published.
2The Annual Return is available for inspection by any local government elector in the area of GORING HEATH
on application to
(a)AMANDA HOLLAND
(b)2 NEW BUILDINGS
WHITCHURCH HILL
READING
RG8 7PW
(c)(Telephone/email, and hours and arrangements to view)
Please email for an appointment
Goringheathparishcouncil@gmail.com
3Copies will be provided to any person on request
Announcement made by
AMANDA HOLLAND________________________________________________
Date of Announcement
23 SEPTEMBER 2023
GORING HEATH PARISH COUNCIL
NOTICE OF PUBLIC RIGHTS AND PUBLICATION OF UNAUDITED ANNUAL GOVERNANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY RETURN
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023
Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 Sections 26 and 27
The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/234)
NOTICE |
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1. Date of announcement WEDNESDAY 21ST JUNE 2023 2. Each year the smaller authority’s Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) needs to be reviewed by an external auditor appointed by Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments Ltd. The unaudited AGAR has been published with this notice. As it has yet to be reviewed by the appointed auditor, it is subject to change as a result of that review. Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records must be made available for inspection by any person interested. For the year ended 31 March 2023, these documents will be available on reasonable notice by application to:
EMAIL GORINGHEATHPARISHCOUNCIL @GMAIL.COM POST GHPC 2 NEW BUILDINGS WHITCHURCH HILL RG8 7PW
commencing on _ THURSDAY 22ND JUNE 2023_____________________
and ending on ___WEDNESDAY 2ND AUGUST 2023 ___________________
3. Local government electors and their representatives also have:
· The opportunity to question the appointed auditor about the accounting records; and · The right to make an objection which concerns a matter in respect of which the appointed auditor could either make a public interest report or apply to the court for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful. Written notice of an objection must first be given to the auditor and a copy sent to the smaller authority.
The appointed auditor can be contacted at the address in paragraph 4 below for this purpose between the above dates only.
4. The smaller authority’s AGAR is subject to review by the appointed auditor under the provisions of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 and the NAO’s Code of Audit Practice 2015. The appointed auditor is:
Moore (Ref AP/HD) Rutland House Minerva Business Park Lynch Wood Peterborough PE2 6PZ
5. This announcement is made by AMANDA HOLLAND CLERK/RFO |
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LOCAL AUTHORITY ACCOUNTS: A SUMMARY OF YOUR RIGHTS
Please note that this summary applies to all relevant smaller authorities, including local councils, internal drainage boards and ‘other’ smaller authorities.
The basic position
By law, any interested person has the right to inspect the accounting records of smaller authorities. If you are a local government elector or registered to vote in the local councils’ elections, then you are able to ask questions about the accounts and object to them.
The right to inspect the accounting records
When your council has finalised its accounts for the previous financial year, they must advertise that they are available for people to inspect. You must then provide the council with reasonable notice of your intentions. Following this, by arrangement you will then have 30 working days to inspect and make copies of the accounting records and supporting documents. You may be required to pay a copying charge.
The right to ask the auditor questions about the accounting records
If you have any questions regarding the accounting records, you should first ask your smaller authority. This must be done during the 30-day period for the exercise of public rights. You may also ask the appointed auditor questions about an item in the accounting records. However, the auditor can only answer ‘what’ questions, not ‘why’ questions so is limited with their response. To avoid any confusion, it is advised that you put your questions in writing.
The right to make objections
Should you view something as unlawful or believe there are matters of wider concern in the accounts, you may wish to object. If you are a local government elector, you have the right to ask the external auditor to apply to the courts for a declaration that an item is contrary to the law and should be reported as a matter of public interest. This must be done by telling the appointed auditor which specific item in the accounts you object to and why you believe it to be unlawful or think a public interest report should be made about it. You must provide clear evidence to support your objection, and this should be done in writing and the copied to the council.
You should not use the ‘right to object’ to make a personal complaint or claim against your smaller authority. Complaints of this nature should be taken to your local Citizens’ Advice Bureau, local Law Centre or to your solicitor.
A final word
Smaller authorities, and so local taxpayers, meet the costs of dealing with questions and objections. In deciding whether to take your objection forward, the auditor must consider the cost that will be involved. They will only continue with the objection if it is in the public interest to do so. If you appeal to the courts against an auditor’s decision, you may have to pay for the action yourself.
Below are PDFs of the income and expenditure by transaction of the Parish Council. These form the basis of the audited accounts
Income Income 2014 2015.pdf Expenditure Expenditure 2014 2015.pdf
Goring Heath Parish Council Spend over £100 2017 2018
Goring Heath Parish Council Spend over £100 2018 2019
Goring Heath Parish Council Spend over £100 2019 2020
Goring Heath Parish Council Spend over £100 2020 2021
Goring Heath Parish Council spend over £100 pounds 2021 2022.
Goring Heath Parish Council Spend over 100 pounds 2022_23
Internal Audit Reports 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019- 20 2020-21. 2021-22. 2022/23 2022/23 2023supporting stmt
External Audit Report 2017-18 2020 - 21 2021 - 22 2022 - 23
Annual return and statutory form of accounts
Explanation of Variances Year End 31 March 2021 Year End 31 March 2022 Explanation-of-variances-31st March 2023
Bank reconciliation 31 March 2021
Exercise of Public Rights: see above and 2021-Notice-of-Public-Rights Notice Public Rights 2022. Notice-of-Public-Rights 22_23
Statement of Governance
Annual Governance Statement 2018-9 Annual Governance Statement 2019-20 Annual Governance Statement 2020-21.
Annual Governance Statement 2021 - 22 AGAR unaudited 2022_2023.
COMMUNITY INTEREST LEVY (CIL) STATEMENTS CIL No2691 Goring Heath CIL Report.
Schedule of Land and buildings owned by Goring Heath Parish Council Land and Buildings
Asset Register Asset Register 2022.
SODC complaint SODC from GHPC.pdf