Annual Governance and Accountability Return

NOTICE OF PUBLIC RIGHTS AND PUBLICATION OF UNAUDITED ANNUAL GOVERNANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY RETURN ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024

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

Each year Hedge End Town Council’s Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) needs to be reviewed by an external auditor appointed by the Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments Ltd. The unaudited AGAR has been published with 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 to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers and receipts and other documents relating to those records or documents will be available for inspection by any person interested. For the year ending 31st March 2024, these documents will be available on reasonable notice by application to:

Ms S Jelley, Town Clerk, Hedge End Town Council, 2000 Centre, Hedge End, Southampton, SO30 4AF between the hours of 8.30 a.m. – 4.30p.m., Monday – Friday (excluding Bank Holidays) commencing on 21 June 2024 and ending on 1 August 2024.

Local Government Electors and their representatives also have:

• the opportunity to question the 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 to 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 Town Council.

The auditor can be contacted at the address below for this purpose during the inspection period which commences on 21 June 2024 and ends on 1 August 2024.
Hedge End Town Council’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 for Hedge End Town Council is:

BDO LLP
Arcadia House
Maritime Walk
Ocean Village
Southampton
SO14 3TL
Email: councilaudits@bdo.co.uk

Miss S Jelley
Town Clerk & RFO

20 June 2024