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Peterlee Town Council

Peterlee Town Council

Town Council gets another clean bill of health from the External Auditor!

By

PETERLEE TOWN COUNCIL

Notice of conclusion of the audit
Annual Return for the year ended 31st March 2022

 

Section 25 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014

Accounts and Audit (England) Regulations 2015

 

Notes
1.         The audit of accounts for the Council/Meeting (a) for the year ended 31 March 2022 has been concluded.

2.     The Annual Governance and Accountability Return is available for inspection by any local government elector of the area of the Council /Meeting (a) on application to:

 (a)  Delete as appropriate
 

(b)____Ian Morris, Chief Officer/Town Clerk,

Peterlee Town Council,

Shotton Hall, Old Shotton,

Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 2PH

  

(b)  Insert name, position and address of the person to whom local government electors should apply to inspect the Annual Return
2.         Copies will be provided to any local government elector on payment of £free for first copy, and then £1 (c) for each subsequent copy of the Annual Return.

 copies are also available for free download here.

 (c)  Insert a reasonable sum for copying costs

 
Announcement made by: (d)Ian Morris, Chief Officer/Town Clerk

 

 (d)  Insert name and position of person placing the notice
Date of announcement: (e)     18th August 2022 (e)  Insert date of placing of the notice

 

The External Auditor’s report confirms that the AGAR for 2021/22 was in accordance with proper practices and that they have no cause for concern that relevant legislation and regulatory requirements have not been met (see page 6 here)

Peterlee celebrates Green Flag status!

By

We’re over the moon to confirm that our brilliant town has received coveted Green Flag Awards for both Woodhouse Park and the Town Cemetery, officially recognising them as some of the country’s best parks and open spaces.
The Green Flag Award is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces
After two years that have seen our parks and green spaces play a vital role for people through lockdowns as a place to relax, exercise and meet friends and family safely, the news that Woodhouse Park and Peterlee Cemetery has achieved the Green Flag Award is testament to the hard work and dedication of the Town Council Neighbourhood Services team and all our volunteers and community partners that help us to make these green space a great space that everyone can enjoy.
Commenting on the news that Woodhouse Park and the Town Cemetery have met the Green Flag Award standard, Keep Britain Tidy’s Accreditation Manager Paul Todd said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making these open spaces in Peterlee worthy of a Green Flag Award.
“Woodhouse Park and Peterlee Cemetery provide vital green spaces for the community in Peterlee. This award is testament to all the hard work of staff and volunteers, who do so much to ensure that it maintains the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.”
The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world. A full list of Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces is available here https://bit.ly/3ouHq4V A photograph of a picnic bench and play equipment at woodhouse park in peterlee

Notice of appointment of date for the exercise of public rights Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2022

By

The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, and The Accounts and Audit (England) Regulations 2015 (SI 234)

1.     Date of announcement:   Tuesday 28th June 2022                                  (a) (a) Insert date of placing of this notice on your website.
2.     Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the accounts to be audited and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers and receipts relating to them. For the year ended 31 March 2022 these documents will be available on reasonable notice on application to:
 

(b) Ian Morris, Chief Officer

Peterlee Town Council, Shotton Hall, Old Shotton, Peterlee County Durham SR8 2PH

 

 (b) Insert name, position and contact details of the Clerk or other person to whom any person may apply to inspect the accounts.
                commencing on (c)   Wednesday 29th June 2022                 .
             and ending on (d)             Tuesday 9th August 2022 (c )And

(d)The inspection period must be 30 working days in total and commence no later than 1 July 2022.
3.     Local Government Electors and their representatives also have:
·        the opportunity to question the auditor about the accounts; and
·        the right to make objections to the accounts or any item in them. Written notice of an objection must first be given to the auditor and a copy sent to the Authority (f).

 

The auditor can be contacted at the address in paragraph 4 below for this purpose during the inspection period at 2 above.

  

 

 
4.     The auditor’s limited assurance review is being conducted under the provisions of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, the Accounts and Audit (England) Regulations 2015 and the National Audit Office’ Code of Audit Practice.  Your review is being carried out by:

Mazars LLP, The Corner, Bank Chambers, 26 Mosley Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1DF

Email: local.councils@mazars.co.uk
5.    This announcement is made by

(e) Ian Morris, Chief Officer

 

 (e)   Insert name and position of person placing the notice

Please note that an electronic version of the signed AGAR document is also available to view or download here: https://www.peterlee.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2022/06/Annual-Return-PTC-202122-signed-scanned.pdf

Councils’ Accounts: A Summary of Public Rights

The basic position

By law any interested person has the right to inspect a council’s/meeting’s accounts.  If you are entitled and registered to vote in local council elections then you (or your representative) have additional rights to ask the appointed auditor questions about the Council’s accounts or object to an item of account contained within them.

The right to inspect the accounts

When your council has finalised its accounts for the previous financial year it must advertise that they are available for people to inspect. Having given the Council reasonable notice of your intentions, you then have 30 working days to look through the accounting statements in the Annual Return and any supporting documents. By arrangement, you will be able to inspect and make copies of the accounts and the relevant documents. You may have to pay a copying charge.

The right to ask the auditor questions about the accounts

You can only ask the appointed auditor questions about the accounts. The auditor does not have to answer questions about the council’s policies, finances, procedures or anything else not related to the accounts. Your questions must be about the accounts for the financial year just ended. The auditor does not have to say whether they think something the council has done, or an item in its accounts, is lawful or reasonable.

The right to object to the accounts

If you think that the council has spent money that it should not have, or that someone has caused a loss to the council deliberately or by behaving irresponsibly, you can request the auditor to apply to the courts for a declaration that an item of account is contrary to law. You do this by sending a formal ‘notice of objection’ to the auditor at the address below. The notice must be in writing and copied to the council. In it, you must tell the auditor why you are objecting and what you want the auditor to do about it. The auditor must reach a decision on your objection. If you are not happy with that decision, you can appeal to the courts.

You may also object if you think that there is something in the accounts that the auditor should discuss with the Council or tell the public about in a ‘public interest report’. You must follow the same procedure as outlined in the previous paragraph. The auditor must then decide whether to take any action. The auditor does not have to, but usually will, give reasons for his/her decision and you cannot appeal to the courts. More information is available on the National Audit Office website (see contact details below).

You may not use this ‘right to object’ to make a personal complaint or claim against your council. You should take such complaints to your local Citizens’ Advice Bureau, local Law Centre or your solicitor. You may also be able to approach the Standards Committee of your local principal authority if you believe that a member of the council has broken the Code of Conduct for Members.

 

 

What else you can do

Instead of objecting, you can give the auditor information that is relevant to his/her responsibilities. For example, you can simply tell the auditor if you think that something is wrong with the accounts or about waste and inefficiency in the way the Council runs its services. You should make it clear that you are providing information rather than making a formal objection. You do not have to follow any set time limits or procedures. The auditor does not have to give you a detailed report of any subsequent investigation, but will usually tell you the outcome.

A final word

Councils, and so local taxpayers, must 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. The auditor will only continue with the objection if it is in the public interest to do so. If you appeal to the courts, you might have to pay for the action yourself.

 

Who should you contact?

For more detailed guidance on electors’ rights and the special powers of auditors, copies of the publication Council Accounts – a guide to your rights are available by calling the National Audit Office on 020 7798 7000 or downloading from the website https://www.nao.org.uk/ If you wish to contact your Council’s appointed external auditor please write to:

Cameron Waddell, Partner, Mazars LLP, local.councils@mazars.co.uk

Great News about Peterlee Music Fest!

By

We’ve got some great news for you.  With all the doom and gloom that seems to be out there at the moment, and the very real pressures on household income with fuel and other inflation, Peterlee Town Council is changing the plans for the Peterlee Music Fest weekend to make it a FREE EVENT.
The event will feature the same great lineup of bands on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th June, at the playing fields off Helford Road, Peterlee.  But rather than a ticketed event you will now be able to come along to join in Peterlee’s biggest community event of the year for FREE!
Anyone who has already bought tickets has been contacted to arrange a full refund.
So there you go.  Same great line up, but now with free entry.

Make sure that you follow Peterlee Town Council on facebook or instagram or keep an eye out on our website for updates about the new improved plans for the Music Fest early next week.  Hope to see you on the 17th/18th June!

Online version of the Autumn edition of Peterlee Magazine available now!

By

The Autumn edition of Peterlee Magazine was delivered to homes in Peterlee over the last couple of weeks.  Here’s a link to the online version as well, just in case you missed the paper version!

https://www.paperturn-view.com/uk/lesley-palmer-advertising/lr-peterlee-town-council-autumn-2021?pid=MTg189672

 

Notice of conclusion of the audit for the year ended 31st March 2021

By

PETERLEE TOWN COUNCIL

 

Notice of conclusion of the audit
Annual Return for the year ended 31st March 2021

 

Section 25 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014

Accounts and Audit (England) Regulations 2015

 

  Notes
1.         The audit of accounts for the Council  for the year ended 31 March 2021 has been concluded.

2.     The Annual Governance and Accountability Return is available for inspection by any local government elector of the area of the Council on application to:

 (a)  Delete as appropriate
 

(b) Ian Morris, Chief Officer, Peterlee Town Council, Shotton Hall, Old Shotton, Peterlee SR8 2PH

  

(b)  Insert name, position and address of the person to whom local government electors should apply to inspect the Annual Return
2.         Copies will be provided to any local government elector on payment of £1(c) for each copy of the Annual Return.

 

 (c)  Insert a reasonable sum for copying costs

 
Announcement made by: (d)      Ian Morris, Chief Officer

 

 (d)  Insert name and position of person placing the notice
Date of announcement: (e)         27th September 2021 (e)  Insert date of placing of the notice

 

 

 

Notice of appointment of date for the exercise of public rights for the Council’s Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2021

By

Local council name: Peterlee Town Council

 

Notice of appointment of date for the exercise of public rights
Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2021

The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, and

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

1.     Date of announcement:   29th June 2021                                  (a) (a) Insert date of placing of this notice on your website.
2.     Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the accounts to be audited and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers and receipts relating to them. For the year ended 31 March 2021 these documents will be available on reasonable notice on application to:
 

(b)  Ian Morris, Chief Officer & Town Clerk, Peterlee Town Council

Shotton Hall, Old Shotton, Peterlee SR8 2PH

council@peterlee.gov.uk

0191 586 2491

 (b) Insert name, position and contact details of the Clerk or other person to whom any person may apply to inspect the accounts.
               commencing on (c)           30th June 2021

 

and ending on (d)              10th August 2021

 (c )And

(d)The inspection period must be 30 working days in total and commence no later than 1 July 2021.
3.     Local Government Electors and their representatives also have:
·       the opportunity to question the auditor about the accounts; and
·       the right to make objections to the accounts or any item in them. Written notice of an objection must first be given to the auditor and a copy sent to the Authority (f).

 

The auditor can be contacted at the address in paragraph 4 below for this purpose during the inspection period at 2 above.

  

 

 
4.      The audit is being conducted under the provisions of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, the Accounts and Audit (England) Regulations 2015 and the National Audit Office’ Code of Audit Practice.  Your audit is being carried out by:

Mazars LLP, The Corner, Bank Chambers, 26 Mosley Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1DF
5.    This announcement is made by (e)Ian Morris, Chief Officer

 

 (e)   Insert name and position of person placing the notice

A pdf version of the notice can be viewed here: https://www.peterlee.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/2021/06/Notice-of-exercise-of-public-rights-2021.pdf

 

Councils’ Accounts: A Summary of Public Rights

The basic position

By law any interested person has the right to inspect a council’s/meeting’s accounts.  If you are entitled and registered to vote in local council elections then you (or your representative) have additional rights to ask the appointed auditor questions about the council’s accounts or object to an item of account contained within them.

The right to inspect the accounts

When your council has finalised its accounts for the previous financial year it must advertise that they are available for people to inspect. Having given the council reasonable notice of your intentions, you then have 30 working days to look through the accounting statements in the Annual Return and any supporting documents. By arrangement, you will be able to inspect and make copies of the accounts and the relevant documents. You may have to pay a copying charge.

The right to ask the auditor questions about the accounts

You can only ask the appointed auditor questions about the accounts. The auditor does not have to answer questions about the council’s policies, finances, procedures or anything else not related to the accounts. Your questions must be about the accounts for the financial year just ended. The auditor does not have to say whether they think something the council has done, or an item in its accounts, is lawful or reasonable.

The right to object to the accounts

If you think that the council has spent money that it should not have, or that someone has caused a loss to the council deliberately or by behaving irresponsibly, you can request the auditor to apply to the courts for a declaration that an item of account is contrary to law. You do this by sending a formal ‘notice of objection’ to the auditor at the address below. The notice must be in writing and copied to the council. In it, you must tell the auditor why you are objecting and what you want the auditor to do about it. The auditor must reach a decision on your objection. If you are not happy with that decision, you can appeal to the courts.

You may also object if you think that there is something in the accounts that the auditor should discuss with the council or tell the public about in a ‘public interest report’. You must follow the same procedure as outlined in the previous paragraph. The auditor must then decide whether to take any action. The auditor does not have to, but usually will, give reasons for his/her decision and you cannot appeal to the courts. More information is available on the National Audit Office website (see contact details below).

You may not use this ‘right to object’ to make a personal complaint or claim against your council. You should take such complaints to your local Citizens’ Advice Bureau, local Law Centre or your solicitor. You may also be able to approach the Standards Committee of your local principal authority if you believe that a member of the council has broken the Code of Conduct for Members.

What else you can do

Instead of objecting, you can give the auditor information that is relevant to his/her responsibilities. For example, you can simply tell the auditor if you think that something is wrong with the accounts or about waste and inefficiency in the way the council runs its services. You should make it clear that you are providing information rather than making a formal objection. You do not have to follow any set time limits or procedures. The auditor does not have to give you a detailed report of any subsequent investigation, but will usually tell you the outcome.

A final word

Councils, and so local taxpayers, must 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. The auditor will only continue with the objection if it is in the public interest to do so. If you appeal to the courts, you might have to pay for the action yourself.

Details of people nominated for election onto the Town Council, and details of polling stations

By

Durham County Council have published the lists of people nominated for the Town Council elections on 6th May 2021.

These lists also include details of the polling stations for each ward.

Passfield Ward persons nominated and situation of polling stations

Howletch Ward persons nominated and situation of polling stations

Eden Hill Ward persons nominated and situation of polling stations

Dene House Ward persons nominated and situation of polling stations

Acre Rigg Ward persons nominated and situation of polling stations

The deadline for applying to vote by post or by postal proxy is 5pm on Tuesday 20th April 2021.

The deadline for applying to vote by proxy is 5pm on Tuesday 27th April 2021.

You can find out more about the elections process, registering to vote, and polling station opening hours here: https://www.durham.gov.uk/article/24986/Durham-County-and-Parish-Council-elections-6-May-2021

Publication of the Notice of Elections for Peterlee Town Council

By

Durham County Council has published the Notice of Elections for Peterlee Town Council.  These notices are for the elections on 6th May 2021

The election notices can be viewed via the links below:

Peterlee Parish (Howletch Ward) Notice Of Election (Single Area) 2021

Peterlee Parish (Acre Rigg Ward) Notice Of Election (Single Area) 2021

Peterlee Parish (Eden Hill Ward) Notice Of Election (Single Area) 2021

Peterlee Parish (Dene House Ward) Notice Of Election (Single Area) 2021

Peterlee Parish (Passfield Ward) Notice Of Election (Single Area) 2021

To find out more about the elections please have a look at this Durham County Council webpage. And you can also contact the electoral services team on 03000 261 212 and by email electoralservices@durham.gov.uk

Our address:

Shotton Hall
Old Shotton
Peterlee
County Durham
SR8 2PH

T: 0191 586 2491
F: 0191 586 0370
E: council@peterlee.gov.uk

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