Tredington Parish Council

NOTICE OF PUBLIC RIGHTS AND PUBLICATION OF UNAUDITED ANNUAL GOVERNANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY RETURN

ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 Sections 26 and 27

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

NOTICE

1. Date of announcement Sunday 2 June 2024

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 2024, these documents will be available on reasonable notice by application to:

Mr Ian Wilson, Parish Clerk

Tel: 07725071616

Email: tredington.clerk@gmail.com

Address: Oakley, Mollington, OX17 1BL

commencing on (c) _ Monday 3 June 2024 _____________________

and ending on (d) ___Friday 12 July 2024 __________________ _

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 Ian Wilson, Clerk to Tredington PC

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.

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.

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.

Sections 20(2) and 25 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/234)

The audit of accounts for Tredington Parish Council for the year ended 31 March 2023 has been completed and the accounts have been published.

The annual governance and accountability returns are available for inspection by any elector on application to the clerk: Ian Wilson, Oakley, School Hill, Mollington between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm on Monday and Tuesday of each working week. Copies can also be provided on payment of £1:00 for each governance and accountability return

The Warwickshire branch of the Milestone Society has been awarded a £7,661.00 grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to restore a seventh milepost and three cast iron triangular mileposts.

The Milestone Society has received support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for “Restoring Warwickshire’s Waymarkers”, it was announced today. Thanks to National Lottery players, the project aims to restore the eight-foot-tall milepost, found adorning a Kenilworth garden and very kindly donated to the Society by the owner in memory of her late husband, who is believed to have rescued it from a farm auction sale many years ago. It will be placed at the historically correct site north of the old Toll House, Honington on the A3400. In addition, three cast iron triangular mileposts will also be restored and replaced in their original locations.

The project aims to encourage more people to get involved with their local history and become aware of Warwickshire's mileposts and waymarkers. In addition to the restoration work there will be an interpretation leaflet with circular walks including activity sheets for children and other historical interest. Existing walks and leaflets will be modified and a new walk introduced. For those unable to undertake the walks there will be a virtual experience via YouTube. Two interpretation boards will be provided at Goldicote and Alderminster village entrance. There will be information displays in Shipston and Warwick Museums and community talks will be available. Information on the mileposts and waymarkers will be displayed on the Society’s websites warwickshirewayside.co.uk. and www.milestonesociety.co.uk.

Restoring Warwickshire's Waymarkers follows a previous Heritage Fund-supported project in 2017 when six nationally unique 19th Century mileposts on the A3400 Turnpike Stratford-on-Avon to London Road were restored. These are Grade II listed by Historic England. The acanthus leaf decoration on the mileposts has been dated 1810–1840 by Victoria & Albert Museum. The posts are cast iron, 8 feet tall above ground with arms originally supporting a wooden destination board with distance to London. Two of the three cast iron triangular mileposts requiring restoration were found in Alderminster, one at the Preston-on-Stour turn on the A3400, the other on the A422 opposite Goldicote Farm’s entrance. A third is in

storage, having been rescued from a skip. This will be erected at the Alderminster Village entrance.

Mike Buxton, Milestone Society Trustee and Warwickshire Representative said: “We are delighted that we’ve received this support thanks to National Lottery players and Alderminster and Tredington parish councils. We look forward to completing this important and exciting project over the Summer. Having previously restored six mileposts on this turnpike you can imagine our excitement when a seventh was discovered. The seventh milepost will enhance the street scene adjacent to the Honington Toll House and provide a unique and distinctive feature. Together with the three triangular waymarkers missing pieces of local history and the historical knowledge of the local transport network will be restored.”

Established in May 2001, The Society aims to “identify, record, research, conserve and interpret for public benefit the milestones and other waymarkers of the British Isles”. Our members’ interests also include tollhouses, turnpike history and canal milestones. Charitable status was gained in 2004.

Using money raised by the National Lottery, we inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. www.heritagefund.org.uk.

Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund

Since The National Lottery began in 1994, National Lottery players have raised over £43 billion for projects and more than 635,000 grants have been awarded across the UK.

Each week, thanks to National Lottery players, £30 million is raised for good causes across the UK.

For further information and images please contact Mike Buxton, Warwickshire Representative, Milestone Society at mbuxton295@btinternet.com