Staunton-on-Wye Group Parish Council

ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

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Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 Sections 25, 26 and 27

The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/234)

1. Date of announcement 15 May 2025

2. Each year the smaller authority prepares an Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR).  The AGAR has been published with this notice. It will not be reviewed by the appointed auditor, since the smaller authority has certified itself as exempt from the appointed auditor’s review.

Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the AGAR, the accounting records for the financial year to which it 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 2025, these documents will be available on reasonable notice by application to:

(b)   David Thame, Clerk, clerk@stauntononwyegroupparishcouncil.org

commencing on (c) Tuesday 3 June 2025

and ending on (d) Monday 14 July 2025

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 only subject to review by the appointed auditor if questions or objections raised under the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 lead to the involvement of the auditor.  The appointed auditor is:

PKF Littlejohn LLP (Ref: SBA Team)

15 Westferry Circus

Canary Wharf

London E14 4HD

(sba@pkf-l.com)

5. This announcement is made by (e) David Thame, Clerk to Staunton on Wye Group Parish Council

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

The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 (the Act) governs the work of auditors appointed to smaller authorities. This summary explains the provisions contained in Sections 26 and 27 of the Act. The Act and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 also cover the duties, responsibilities and rights of smaller authorities, other organisations and the public concerning the accounts being audited.

As a local elector, or an interested person, you have certain legal rights in respect of the accounting records of smaller authorities. As an interested person you can inspect accounting records and related documents. If you are a local government elector for the area to which the accounts relate you can also ask questions about the accounts and object to them. You do not have to pay directly for exercising your rights. However, any resulting costs incurred by the smaller authority form part of its running costs. Therefore, indirectly, local residents pay for the cost of you exercising your rights through their council tax.

The right to inspect the accounting records

Any interested person can inspect the accounting records, which includes but is not limited to local electors. You can inspect 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. You can copy all, or part, of these records or documents. Your inspection must be about the accounts, or relate to an item in the accounts. You cannot, for example, inspect or copy documents unrelated to the accounts, or that include personal information (Section 26 (6) – (10) of the Act explains what is meant by personal information). You cannot inspect information which is protected by commercial confidentiality. This is information which would prejudice commercial confidentiality if it was released to the public and there is not, set against this, a very strong reason in the public interest why it should nevertheless be disclosed.

When smaller authorities have finished preparing accounts for the financial year and approved them, they must publish them (including on a website). There must be a 30 working day period, called the ‘period for the exercise of public rights’, during which you can exercise your statutory right to inspect the accounting records. Smaller authorities must tell the public, including advertising this on their website, that the accounting records and related documents are available to inspect. By arrangement you will then have 30 working days to inspect and make copies of the accounting records. You may have to pay a copying charge. The 30 working day period must include a common period of inspection during which all smaller authorities’ accounting records are available to inspect. This will be 1-14 July 2025 for 2024/25 accounts. The advertisement must set out the dates of the period for the exercise of public rights, how you can communicate to the smaller authority that you wish to inspect the accounting records and related documents, the name and address of the auditor, and the relevant legislation that governs the inspection of accounts and objections.

The right to ask the auditor questions about the accounting records

You should first ask your smaller authority about the accounting records, since they hold all the details. If you are a local elector, your right to ask questions of the external auditor is enshrined in law. However, while the auditor will answer your questions where possible, they are not always obliged to do so. For example, the question might be better answered by another organisation, require investigation beyond the auditor’s remit, or involve disproportionate cost (which is borne by the local taxpayer). Give your smaller authority the opportunity first to explain anything in the accounting records that you are unsure about. If you are not satisfied with their explanation, you can question the external auditor about the accounting records.

The law limits the time available for you formally to ask questions. This must be done in the period for the exercise of public rights, so let the external auditor know your concern as soon as possible. The advertisement or notice that tells you the accounting records are available to inspect will also give the period for the exercise of public rights during which you may ask the auditor questions, which here means formally asking questions under the Act. You can ask someone to represent you when asking the external auditor questions.

Before you ask the external auditor any questions, inspect the accounting records fully, so you know what they contain. Please remember that you cannot formally ask questions, under the Act, after the end of the period for the exercise of public rights. You may ask your smaller authority other questions about their accounts for any year, at any time. But these are not questions under the Act.

You can ask the external auditor questions about an item in the accounting records for the financial year being audited. However, your right to ask the external auditor questions is limited. The external auditor can only answer ‘what’ questions, not ‘why’ questions. The external auditor cannot answer questions about policies, finances, procedures or anything else unless it is directly relevant to an item in the accounting records. Remember that your questions must always be about facts, not opinions. To avoid misunderstanding, we recommend that you always put your questions in writing.

The right to make objections at audit

You have inspected the accounting records and asked your questions of the smaller authority. Now you may wish to object to the accounts on the basis that an item in them is in your view unlawful or there are matters of wider concern arising from the smaller authority’s finances. A local government elector can ask the external auditor to apply to the High Court for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful, or to issue a report on matters which are in the public interest. You must tell the external auditor which specific item in the accounts you object to and why you think the item is unlawful, or why you think that a public interest report should be made about it. You must provide the external auditor with the evidence you have to support your objection. Disagreeing with income or spending does not make it unlawful. To object to the accounts you must write to the external auditor stating you want to make an objection, including the information and evidence below and you must send a copy to the smaller authority. The notice must include:

·         confirmation that you are an elector in the smaller authority’s area;

·         why you are objecting to the accounts and the facts on which you rely;

·         details of any item in the accounts that you think is unlawful; and

·         details of any matter about which you think the external auditor should make a public interest report.

Other than it must be in writing, there is no set format for objecting. You can only ask the external auditor to act within the powers available under the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.

A final word

You may not use this ‘right to object’ to make a personal complaint or claim against your smaller authority.  You should take such complaints to your local Citizens’ Advice Bureau, local Law Centre or to your solicitor. Smaller authorities, and so local taxpayers, meet the costs of dealing with questions and objections.  In deciding whether to take your objection forward, one of a series of factors the auditor must take into account is the cost that will be involved, they will only continue with the objection if it is in the public interest to do so. They may also decide not to consider an objection if they think that it is frivolous or vexatious, or if it repeats an objection already considered. If you appeal to the courts against an auditor’s decision not to apply to the courts for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful, you will have to pay for the action yourself.

For more detailed guidance on public rights and the special powers of auditors, copies of the publication Local authority accounts: A guide to your rights are available from the NAO website.

If you wish to contact your authority’s appointed external auditor please write to the address in paragraph 4 of the Notice of Public Rights and Publication of Unaudited Annual Governance & Accountability Return.

Accounting Reports 2024-2025

Staunton on Wye Group PC – Annual Internal Audit Report 2024-2025

Staunton on Wye Group PC – Certificate of Exemption AGAR 2024-2025

Staunton on Wye Group PC – Financial Year 2024-2025 – Internal Review Apr 25

Staunton on Wye Group PC – Section 1 Annual Governance Statement 2024-2025

Staunton on Wye Group PC – Provision for the Exercise of Public Rights 2024-25 Exempt Authorities

Staunton on Wye Group PC – Section 2 Accounting Statements 2024-2025

Minutes of the Group Parish Council Meeting held on MONDAY 3 MARCH 2025 in the
Village Hall , Staunton on Wye.

The meeting commenced at 7.30pm
Present – A Andrews, B Arthur, L Boddington, M Jones, E Pearson-Gregory, J Price, N
Sellar , W Shepherd, R Skyrme and S Williams.
There were two members of the public present in attendance plus County Councillor Mr
Robert Highfield

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – There were no apologies for absence.
2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None were received.
3. MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING OF THE 2 DECEMBER 2024
   – The Minutes were agreed as a true and accurate record of that meeting.
4. MATTERS ARISING – There were no matters arising that were not covered by items
   on the agenda.
5. REPORT FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR ROBERT HIGHFIELD – Cllr Highfield reported following a number of Council meetings that he had attended recently.
   Many of the items discussed affected Parish Councils directly those being extra money for
   Rights of Way, the Lengthsman Scheme and drainage. Two and a half million pounds was
   being spent on the repair of potholes. Five million pounds was being spent on top of the
   normal budget for roads.
   A number of concerns had been expressed at a recent meeting in respect of the slow
   development of the Rights of Way issues. All Parish Councils were recommended strongly
   to nominate a local Rights of Way Officer. Guidance will be made available through Steve
   Organ regarding the establishment of the scheme and training will be made available to
   any volunteer who comes forward to take on such post.
   There was discussion regarding the Local Development Plan . It was acknowledged that
   the Planning Office regularly refer to the Development Plan in their response to planning
   applications. Cllr Highfield informed the meeting that the Government was not looking at
   any Plan over five years old.
   The Council has borrowed thirty million pounds for the construction of the local link
   road / by-pass.
6. LENGTHSMAN SCHEME – Concerns regarding the communication with the current
   Lengthsman. It was agreed that the Clerk should pursue the possibility of the employment
   of a further Lengthsman as of the 31st March. Concern was also expressed at the state of the road close by the road running to Peter Pantall’s home. It was agreed that this should be brought to the attention of Balfour Beatty.
7. PLANNING MATTERS – The Clerk reported that after circulating the two recent
   planning applications he had responded to those applications with no objection to either.
8. PLAYING FIELD – Concern was expressed that the mowing of the playground and of
   the football pitch was not being done regularly enough and not to a high enough standard.
   A name of a potential groundsman was raised and the Clerk agreed to contact him to
   ascertain if he was interested in taking such a task on. If he was not interested then it was
   agreed that the position be advertised in the Signal and on the Parish Council website.
9. HIGHWAY MATTERS – The discussion in respect of potholes contined. The Chair
   reminded Councillors that they should continue to report potholes on the website available
   on line for that purpose.
10. PARISH COUNCIL WEBSITE – It was agreed that whilst legally the website meets
    the legislation in respect of its presentation it could be updated and smartened up. M Jones
    informed the Clerk that he would provide the name of a local who has worked on another
    Parish Council website to a good standard. The Clerk agreed to make contact with that
    person.
11. DEFIBRILLATOR – The meeting was informed that a First Aid course was being
    convened that coming Thusday. The possibility of a Defibrillator being placed in
    Monnington on Wye was to be pursued by E Pearson-Gregory. It was also agreed that an
    appeal for new people to operate on the ‘phone line should be made.
12. FOOTPATHS – Mr Shepherd has walked and liaised with Cllr Highfield on a regular
    basis. Training sessions are to be made available for Footpath Officers.
13. WAR MEMORIAL – A report was received from B Arthur outlining the latest
    developments. The meeting was informed that the sub committee had met and that the
    collection of finances for the funding of the memorial was progressing apace. A smaller
    sub-committee has been set up to oversee the re-dedication of the memorial. The base for
    the memorial has now been laid and a date for the lifting of the memorial has been set for
    the 15th May.
14. GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE – There were no items of General Correspondence for discussion.
15. FINANCE – The Clerk informed the meeting of the current financial standing of the
    Parish Council.
16. ANY OTHER BUSINESS – The Chair informed the meeting that the position of Clerk to the Parish Council had been advertised and an expression of interest received. The Clerk will set up a meeting between that person, N Sellar and the Clerk. L Boddington reported back from a Webinar that she had attended on the local environment and bio diversity.
17. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – 12 MAY 2025 – COMMENCING 7.00PM
    The meeting concluded at 8.33pm.

Progress to date as of 17th February 2025

Agreed objectives of the project:

1. Move the war memorial from its current site on the edge of the A438 to the
   common land known as Doctor’s Pool, opposite to Staunton-on-Wye Primary School
2. Produce a printed resource telling the history of the memorial, the men identified
   on the memorial and their families.
    Submitted and obtained approval from Herefordshire Planning Application, Listed
   Building Consent and Secretary of State to relocate the war memorial
    Contacted local charities, businesses and people requesting financial support
    Requested structural engineering specifications from Jake Smith Engineering for the
   new concrete base of the war memorial
    Obtained landscape material quotes for paving, benches and fencing from local
   businesses
    Held first of five fundraising events, 31st January, Proud to Serve, Ian Russell
    Met with McMillan & Holder Ltd, our stonemasons, plus Luke Trumper, Panda Morgan
   and Sarah Morgan to agree positioning of new concrete base at Doctors Pool
    Selected a sub-committee within our War Memorial Committee to plan our re-dedication of the War Memorial, possibly early September 2025
   

NEXT STEPS
 Complete new concrete base by 31st March 2025
 Relocate War Memorial to Doctors Pool by 15th May 2025
 Fundraise – 28th February, Maintaining an Adventurer’s Mindset, Ian Rivers

15th March, Skydive, Steve Grist
15th – 30th April, Cycle to Tyne Cot, Lorna Williams
18th May, Bikers Breakfast

All relevant planning permissions are now in place.

Advice on landscaping is in progress with the guidance of Alan Kerr who has 16
years’ experience in large projects and who gave us useful information using
diagrams from planning permission applications such as what type of stone
and slate we would require for this project.

Fundraising 2025

Friday 31st January at 7.30pm – A Talk with Ian Russell on Life Experiences
(Proud to Serve) at Staunton-on-Wye Village Hall – £10.00 including a drink on
arrival.

Future Fundraising Events include:

• Lorna Williams bike ride from the War Memorial to Belgium
• Bikers Breakfast

Details to follow later.

September 2024

Minutes