"The Town Council accounts for the year 2008-2009 appear to show an overspend of nearly £17,000. As far as I recall this overspend was never mentioned at any Council meeting. Can you tell me what caused the overspend.
answering on behalf of the Council the Town Clerk said that
"As the Audit for 2008/9 has now been closed, the opportunity to ask questions in relation to that year has now passed"
I pointed out that this was the first public meeting at which questions could be asked since the accounts were published but was told that
"notices are posted informing the Public when questions relating to the accounts can be asked"
It was indicated that the £17,000 was probably due to a technical overspend were figures from one year are included in another due to collection or payment dates.
It was indicated that the £17,000 was probably due to a technical overspend were figures from one year are included in another due to collection or payment dates.
Whilst I agree that this may account for some of the money, it doesn't account for the full amount.
I'm not suggesting any financial impropriety, but I think it may relate to the relocation expenses, following the Council's move from Temeside House to the Pump Rooms.
We may never know, but keep you eyes posted for the 'audit period notices' because I predict another overspend will shortly appear (unless the figures are rolled forward into the 2010-11 budget.)
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8 comments:
But that is hardly the point. Information should not have to wrested out of reluctant public authorities. A responsible and responsive authority should be only too willing to share information – i.e. be open with the electorate. Why not answer the question? Sorry – it stinks. It sounds as if there’s something to hide. That’s perhaps not the case – but surely we can be forgiven for thinking so. And why is the Town Clerk answering on behalf of the Council? Who elected the Town Clerk? All this makes me more sure than ever that I was right to resign from this compromised, simpering body. Why don’t we form a local “political” party to fight these sycophants at the next election in 2011?
Lets face the facts. It is very easy to be a critic. Asking the council to answer questions for the sake of questions is pathetic. There are more important things to worry about.
The council gets audited by the Audit Commission like every other public body so what have you got to worry about?
The Town Clerk is paid to represent the council, thats why she does it - thats not very hard to understand.
Starting a local political party? This is Tenbury not Ludlow. They have a Working or Steering Group for everything under the sun in Ludlow. Tenbury should steer clear of that!!
If you don't think £17,000 is important, that's Ok, but given the size of their overall budget I think it is rather significant.
This overspend was not mentioned at any Council meeting and I spoke off the record to three Councillors and none of them were aware of the overspend.
The Council's accounts are audited, but as far as I know not by the Audit Commission.
To answer your question re the Audit Commission, search 'Audit Commission' on the 2 Town Council minutes shown below: -
http://www.tenburytown.org.uk/ShowDoc.asp?DocNo=919
http://www.tenburytown.org.uk/ShowDoc.asp?DocNo=781
I couldnt be bothered looking over all the minutes but it answers your question. Maybe the over spend is similar to other government bodies. More they spead one year the more they get the next?
Thanks for the audit commission bit.
The overspend comes out of the Town Council's reserves. The only way they get it back is to get it from the precept which is paid by Tenbury residents.
Tenbury Town Council now cost nearly as much per household as Malvern Hills District Council.
It's quite difficult to understand Dan's breathtaking complacency! Democracy is about making elected representative bodies accountable to the electorate, not to a quango. As Dan says, there are lots of important things to worry about but perhaps he would like to enumerate those that he thinks are more important than the way in which government (local and national) uses taxpayers’ money.
Interestingly at this months Town Council meeting they discussed the 2009-10 accounts. The accounts are prepared by a local accountancy firm and then audited locally before being presented to the Cllrs.
One Cllr pointed out that the accounts appeared to contain an error, but after a vote they were accepted. They will now be audited by the audit commission who the Cllrs hope will sort out the error.
I have asked for a copy of the accounts and have been told I can have them at the end of the month once the Clerk returns from holiday!
Link to Town Council Minutes for the official version of the events.
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