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Finance & Audit
Budget & Precept
Every Council in England must prepare a budget each financial year and decide on the amount of funding required to deliver that budget. That money is then ‘precepted’ or demanded from the principal (Council Tax) authority. For Burstow Parish Council that principal authority is Tandridge District Council, who will add the sum required, or precepted, to the Annual Council Tax Bill sent out to households.
The impact of the amount required on households will vary according to the number of houses in the Parish.
The financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March.
Audit
Every smaller authority in England must complete an 'Annual Governance and Accountability Return' (AGAR) at the end of each financial year, summarising its activities. (Local Audit & Accountability Act 2014 and the Accounts & Audit Regulations 2015).
Before 2017 the AGAR was know as the Annual Return.
Legislation requires that the AGAR must be approved by the Council, and submitted for external Audit by the 30th of June each year.
The Audit Process
The AGAR and the Accounts of the Council are also subject to an Internal Audit, by a competent person, appointed by the Council, and by an External Auditor appointed on behalf of Government to review the Internal Auditor’s work, and review the Council’s AGAR.
Once the external auditor has completed their review of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR), it then becomes available for public inspection.
As a part of the audit process, local residents have a right to inspect, ask questions about and challenge items in the Council's accounts during a thirty day period each year. The dates of this period are published annually and must include the first 10 working days of July.
For more information about your rights from the National Audit Office is available HERE*
Period of Exercise of Public Rights
The Period of Exercise of Public Rights runs from June to July each year and are published every year, (see the News section for exact dates).
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