Monthly Archives: February 2024

AUDIT NOTICE

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Publication of audited accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023

Regulation 15(5) of the Accounts and Audit (Wales) Regulations 2014 (as amended) requires that by 30 September 2023, [name of Council] publish its accounting statements for the year ended 31 March 2023 together with any certificate, opinion, or report issued, given or made by the Auditor General.

The accounting statements, in the form of an annual return, have been published on the Council’s website. However, the Auditor General has not yet issued his audit opinion and report and therefore the accounts are published before the conclusion of the audit. The annual return will be published along with the Auditor General’s report and opinion when the audit is completed.

Certification and approval of annual accounts for 2022-23

Regulation 15(1) of the Accounts and Audit (Wales) Regulations 2014 (as amended) requires that Responsible Financial Officer of Port Eynon Community Council sign and date the statement of accounts, and certify that it properly presents Port Eynon Community Council’s receipts and payments for the year at the end of the year and the Council’s income and expenditure for the year.

The Regulations required that this be completed by 30 June 2023.

Due to availability of Council Officers, the Clerk and the Internal Auditor, the Responsible Financial Officer has not signed and certified the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023. The statement of accounts will be prepared and the Responsible Financial Officer will sign and certify the statement of accounts by 29 February 2024.

Notice of appointment of the date for the exercise of electors’ rights

Port Eynon Community Council

Financial year ending 31 March 2023

  1. Date of announcement  8th February 2024
  • Each year the annual accounts are audited by the Auditor General for Wales. Prior to this date, any interested person has the opportunity to inspect and make copies of the accounts and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers and receipts etc relating to them for 20 working days on reasonable notice. For the year ended 31 March 2023, these documents will be available on reasonable notice on application to:

_____________Mr. Barry Stubbings__________________________________________

_____________Burry Court, Burry Green__________________________________________

_______________Swansea, SA3 1HR________________________________________

between the hours of   12:00_  and ___15:00_______  on Monday to Friday

commencing on                         8 February 2024

and ending on               8 March 2024

  • From 11 September 2023, until the audit has been completed, Local Government Electors and their representatives also have:
  • the right to question the Auditor General about the accounts.
  • the right to attend before the Auditor General and make objections to the accounts or any item in them. Written notice of an objection must first be given to the Auditor General. A copy of the written notice must also be given to the council.

The Auditor General can be contacted via: Community Council Audits, Audit Wales, 1 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff, CF10 4BZ or by email at communitycouncilaudits@audit.wales.

  • The audit is being conducted under the provisions of the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2004, the Accounts and Audit (Wales) Regulations 2014 and the Auditor General for Wales’ Code of Audit Practice. 

ANNUAL AUDIT

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Accounting statements 2022-23 for:

Name of body:PORT EYNON COMMUNITY COUNCIL
 Year endingNotes and guidance for compilers
31 March
2022 (£)		31 March
2023 (£)		Please round all figures to nearest £. Do not leave any boxes blank and report £0 or nil balances. All figures must agree to the underlying financial records for the relevant year.
Statement of income and expenditure/receipts and payments
Balances brought forward132578133Total balances and reserves at the beginning of the year as recorded in the financial records. Must agree to line 7 of the previous year.
(+) Income
from local taxation/levy		60006000Total amount of income received/receivable in the year from local taxation (precept) or levy/contribution from principal bodies.
(+) Total other receipts2355Total income or receipts recorded in the cashbook minus amounts included in line 2. Includes support, discretionary and revenue grants.
(-) Staff costs20002000Total expenditure or payments made to and on behalf of all employees. Include salaries and wages, taxable allowances, PAYE and NI (employees and employers), pension contributions and termination costs. Exclude reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses.
(-) Loan
interest/capital repayments		00Total expenditure or payments of capital and interest made during the year on external borrowing (if any).
(-) Total other payments91472341Total expenditure or payments as recorded in the cashbook minus staff costs (line 4) and loan interest/capital repayments (line 5).
(=) Balances carried forward81339848Total balances and reserves at the end of the year. Must equal (1+2+3) – (4+5+6).
Statement of balances
(+) Debtors00Income and expenditure accounts only: Enter the value of debts owed to the body at the year-end.
(+) Total
cash and investments		81339848All accounts: The sum of all current and deposit bank accounts, cash holdings and investments held at 31 March. This must
agree with the reconciled cashbook balance as per the bank reconciliation.
(-) Creditors00Income and expenditure accounts only: Enter the value of monies owed by the body (except borrowing) at the year-end.
(=) Balances carried forward81339848Total balances should equal line 7 above: Enter the total of (8+9-10).
Total fixed assets and long-term assets1388613886The asset and investment register value of all fixed assets and any other long-term assets held as at 31 March.
Total borrowing00The outstanding capital balance as at 31 March of all loans from third parties (including PWLB).


Annual Governance Statement

We acknowledge as the members of the Council/Board/Committee, our responsibility for ensuring that there is a sound system of internal control, including the preparation of the accounting statements. We confirm, to the best of our knowledge and belief, with respect to the accounting statements for the year ended 31 March 2023, that:

 Agreed?‘YES’ means that the Council/Board/Committee:PG Ref
YesNo*
1.    We have put in place arrangements for: effective financial management during the year; andthe preparation and approval of the accounting statements.Properly sets its budget and manages its money and prepares and approves its accounting statements as prescribed by law.6, 12
2.    We have maintained an adequate system of internal control, including measures designed to prevent
and detect fraud and corruption, and reviewed its effectiveness.		Made proper arrangements and accepted responsibility for safeguarding the public money and resources in its charge.6, 7
3.    We have taken all reasonable steps to assure
ourselves that there are no matters of actual or potential non-compliance with laws, regulations and codes of practice that could have a significant financial effect on the ability of the Council/Board/ Committee to conduct its business or on its finances.		Has only done things that it has the legal power to do and has conformed to codes of practice and standards in the way it has done so.6
4.    We have provided proper opportunity for the
exercise of electors’ rights in accordance with the requirements of the Accounts and Audit (Wales) Regulations 2014.		Has given all persons interested the opportunity to inspect the body’s accounts as set out in the notice of audit.6, 23
5.    We have carried out an assessment of the risks facing the Council/Board/Committee and taken appropriate steps to manage those risks, including the introduction of internal controls and/or external insurance cover where required.Considered the financial and other risks it faces in the operation of the body and has dealt with them properly.6, 9
6.    We have maintained an adequate and effective system of internal audit of the accounting records and control systems throughout the year and have received a report from the internal auditor.Arranged for a competent person, independent of the financial controls and procedures, to give an objective view on whether these meet the needs of the body.6, 8
7.    We have considered whether any litigation, liabilities or commitments, events or transactions, occurring either during or after the year-end, have a financial impact on the Council/Board/Committee and, where appropriate, have included them on the accounting statements.Disclosed everything it should have about its business during the year including events taking place after the year-end if relevant.6
8.    We have taken appropriate action on all matters raised in previous reports from internal and external audit.Considered and taken appropriate action to address issues/weaknesses brought to its attention by both the internal and external auditors.6, 8, 23
9.    Trust funds – The body acts as sole trustee for and is responsible for managing trust fund(s)/assets. We exclude transactions related to these trusts from the Accounting Statement. In our capacity as trustee, we have discharged our responsibility in relation to the accountability for the fund(s) including financial reporting and, if required, independent examination or audit.YesNoN/AHas met all of its responsibilities where it is a sole managing trustee of a local trust or trusts.3, 6

* Please provide explanations to the external auditor on a separate sheet for each ‘no’ response given; and describe what action is being taken to address the weaknesses identified.

Additional disclosure notes*

The following information is provided to assist the reader to understand the accounting statement and/or the Annual Governance Statement
1.    Expenditure under S137 Local Government Act 1972 and S2 Local Government Act 2000 Section 137(1) of the 1972 Act permits the Council to spend on activities for which it has no other specific powers if the Council considers that the expenditure is in the interests of, and will bring direct benefit to, the area or any part of it, or all or some of its inhabitants, providing that the benefit is commensurate with the expenditure. Section 137(3) also permits the Council to incur expenditure for certain charitable and other purposes. The maximum expenditure that can be incurred under both section 137(1) and (3) for the financial year 2022-23 was £8.82 per elector. In 2022-23, the Council made payments totalling £___2341.00___________ under section 137. These payments are included within ‘Other payments’ in the Accounting Statement.
2.     
3.     

* Include here any additional disclosures the Council considers necessary to aid the reader’s understanding of the accounting statements and/or the annual governance statement.

Council/Board/Committee approval and certification

The Council/Committee is responsible for the preparation of the accounting statements and the annual governance statement in accordance with the requirements of the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2004 (the Act) and the Accounts and Audit (Wales) Regulations 2014.

Certification by the RFO I certify that the accounting statements contained in this Annual Return present fairly the financial position of the Council/Board/ Committee, and its income and expenditure, or properly present receipts and payments, as the case may be, for the year ended
31 March 2023.		Approval by the Council/Board/Committee I confirm that these accounting statements and
Annual Governance Statement were approved by the Council/Board/Committee under minute reference:
Minute ref: AGM 2023 Item 6
RFO signature: Chair of meeting signature:                                                                 
Name: Barry J StubbingsName: Robert L. Fisher
Date: 25 June 2023Date: 25 June 2023


 Annual internal audit report to:

Name of body:PORT EYNON COMMUNITY COUNCIL

The Council/Board/Committee’s internal audit, acting independently and on the basis of an assessment of risk, has included carrying out a selective assessment of compliance with relevant procedures and controls expected to be in operation during the financial year ending 31 March 2023.

The internal audit has been carried out in accordance with the Council/Board/Committee’s needs and planned coverage. On the basis of the findings in the areas examined, the internal audit conclusions are summarised in this table. Set out below are the objectives of internal control and the internal audit conclusions on whether, in all significant respects, the following control objectives were being achieved throughout the financial year to a standard adequate to meet the needs of the Council/Board/Committee.

 Agreed?Outline of work undertaken as part of the internal audit (NB not required if detailed internal audit report presented to body)
YesNo*N/ANot covered**
1.    Appropriate books of account have been properly kept throughout the year.Insert text
2.    Financial regulations have been met, payments were supported by invoices, expenditure was approved and VAT was appropriately accounted for.Council not VAT registered
3.    The body assessed the significant risks to achieving its objectives and reviewed the adequacy of arrangements to manage these.Insert text
4.    The annual precept/levy/resource demand requirement resulted from an adequate budgetary process, progress against the budget was regularly monitored, and reserves were appropriate.Insert text
5.    Expected income was fully received, based on correct prices, properly recorded and promptly banked, and VAT was appropriately accounted for.Insert text
6.    Petty cash payments were properly supported by receipts, expenditure was approved and VAT appropriately accounted for.See 2 above
7.    Salaries to employees and allowances to members were paid in accordance with minuted approvals, and PAYE and NI requirements were properly applied.Clerk self employed and services contracted so no PAYE / NI
8.    Asset and investment registers were complete, accurate, and properly maintained.Insert text
 Agreed?Outline of work undertaken as part of the internal audit (NB not required if detailed internal audit report presented to body)
YesNo*N/ANot covered**
9.    Periodic and year-end bank account reconciliations were properly carried out.Insert text
10.  Accounting statements prepared during the year were prepared on the correct accounting basis (receipts and payments/income and expenditure), agreed with the cashbook, were supported by an adequate audit trail from underlying records, and where appropriate, debtors and creditors were properly recorded.Insert text
11.  Trust funds (including charitable trusts). The Council/Board/ Committee has met its responsibilities as a trustee.Insert text
 Agreed?Outline of work undertaken as part of the internal audit (NB not required if detailed internal audit report presented to body)
YesNo*N/ANot covered**
12.  Assets    Remove low value items such as notice boards after 5 years
13.  Insert risk area    Insert text
14.  Insert risk area    Insert text

* If the response is ‘no’, please state the implications and action being taken to address any weakness in control identified
(add separate sheets if needed).

** If the response is ‘not covered’, please state when the most recent internal audit work was done in this area and when it is
next planned, or if coverage is not required, internal audit must explain why not.

Internal audit confirmation

I/we confirm that as the Council’s internal auditor, I/we have not been involved in a management or administrative role within the body (including preparation of the accounts) or as a member of the body during the financial years 2021-22 and 2022-23. I also confirm that there are no conflicts of interest surrounding my appointment.

Name of person who carried out the internal audit:                
Signature of person who carried out the internal audit:                 
Date:                                                                                              8 November 2023