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

PETERLEE TOWN COUNCIL

Section 25 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014

Accounts and Audit (England) Regulations 2015

Local council name: Peterlee Town Council

The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, and

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

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.

Please click on the links below for the results of the local Election of Peterlee Town Council held on Thursday 6th May 2021:

Acre Rigg Ward of Peterlee Parish_09-May-2021 09 52 AM

Eden Hill Ward of Peterlee Parish_09-May-2021 09 54 AM

Dene House Ward of Peterlee Parish_09-May-2021 10 04 AM

Howletch Ward of Peterlee Parish_09-May-2021 09 45 AM

Passfield Ward of Peterlee Parish_09-May-2021 10 12 AM

Peterlee Town Council currently have vacancies for:

Casual Hospitality  Team Members within Shotton Hall and The Pavilion  

Spinal Point 3 (£9.62 per hour) 

This post reports to the Facility and Duty Managers for the venue/location set as part of allocated shift. 

Main Purpose of the job 

To assist in the delivery of high-quality food, beverage, and hospitality services across Peterlee Town Council venues. Depending upon location team members, under the direction of management will cover a range of duties which includes but not limited to the following: 

• Bar person 
• Catering assistants 
• Customer service 
• Cleaning team 
• General housekeeping including setting up and de rigging rooms and event spaces.

The post holder must be age 18 years or over and will be employed on a casual basis, paid for hours worked. Peterlee Town Council is under no obligation to offer you work and you are under no obligation to accept work. It is anticipated that you will be offered between 5–10 hours of work per week.

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 12.00 Noon on Wednesday 30th June 2021                                                                

Please complete the application form casual Hospitality team member candidate form by downloading here casual Hospitality team member candidate pack May 2021 and return by email to: council@peterlee.gov.uk.

Ring for an application form or further information: Peterlee Town Council  Headquarters – 0191 5862491. 

PART TIME CLEANER VACANCY

 Spinal Point 2 (£9.62 per hour)

 We currently have a vacancy for a Part Time Cleaner within the Town Council’s various buildings.

 The post holder will be contracted to a minimum of 20 hours per week.

We are looking for a Part Time Cleaner who has the following attributes:

• Adaptable, flexible and efficient 
• Able to work weekends, evenings, bank holidays as required 
• Must be willing to undertake training 
• Must be able to work as a team 
• Able to take responsibility and show initiative 
• Good communicator 
• Able to remain calm under pressure 
• High standard of personal hygiene 
• Ability to work unsupervised 

If this sounds like you, then please complete the application form and return by email to: council@peterlee.gov.uk, please click on the link cleaner candidate pack April 2021

Further Information and application forms can also be obtained from Peterlee Town Council  – 0191 5862491, or Email  – council@peterlee.gov.uk

 The closing date for application is 12.00 Noon on Friday 30th April 2021

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