PARISH COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION
In December 2014 the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) published the Local Audit and Accountability
Act 2014 for Smaller Authorities. The Code is a requirement for smaller authorities to make information available for local people to
increase democratic accountability.
Transparency gives local people the tools and information they need to hold local public bodies to account, setting out a new audit
framework for local public authorities which are currently covered by the Audit Commission regime. Under the new audit framework
parish councils with an annual turnover not exceeding £25,000 will be exempt from routine external audit. In place of routine audit,
these smaller authorities will be subject to the new transparency requirements laid out in this Code. This will enable local electors
and ratepayers to access relevant information about the authorities’ accounts and governance.The full document can be viewed
here: Transparency Code for Smaller Authorities
Litton Cheney Parish Council Transparency Checklist
Litton Cheney Parish Council Documentation
Copies of documents satisfying the Transparency Code can be accessed by clicking on the appropriate link:
2017 - 2018:
2018 - 2019:
Transparency Code for Smaller Authorities
Finance 2019-2020
Assets
Policy
Parish Council business is governed by a set of formal documents - click on a title to view:
2014 - 2015:
2015 - 2016:
2016 - 2017:
Village Information v
Local Amenities v
About Litton Cheney v
Parish Council v
Dorset Council v
Village Amenities v
2019 - 2020:
Information Title
Information which should be published
Date Published
Location
All items of expenditure
above £100
Annual publication no later than 1 July in the year immediately
following the accounting year to which it relates
Publish details of each individual item of expenditure
Copies of all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and
other related documents do not need to be published but should
remain available for inspection. For each individual item of
expenditure the following information must be published:
a. date the expenditure was incurred,
b. summary of the purpose of the expenditure,
c. amount
d. Value Added Tax that cannot be recovered.
In Minutes of bi-
monthly meetings
Village Website
Records with Parish
Clerk
Minutes
Minutes
Minutes
All VAT is generally
recoverable
Annual Return &
Governance Statement
End of Year Accounts
Internal Audit
External Audit (if applicable)
Annual publication no later than 1 July in the year immediately
following the accounting year to which it relates.
Publish signed statement of accounts according to the format
included in the Annual Return form. It should be accompanied by:
a. copy of the bank reconciliation for the relevant financial year,
b. an explanation of any significant variances (e.g. more than 10-15
percent) in the statement of accounts for the relevant and previous
year,
c. an explanation of any differences between ‘balances carried
forward’ and ‘total cash and short term investments’, if applicable.
May of each year
post Annual Meeting
Post External
Audit - September
Website
List of Councillors or Member
Responsibilities
Annual publication of councillor or member responsibilities within 14
days of the Annual Meeting in May immediately following the
accounting year to which it relates, including:
a. names of all councillors or members,
b. committee or board membership and function (if Chairman or
Vice-Chairman),
c. representation on external local public bodies (if nominated to
represent the authority or board).
May of each year
Website
Model Publications
Scheme
Location of Public Land and
Building Assets
Annual publication no later than 1 July in the year immediately
following the accounting year to which it relates.
Parish councils are to publish details of all public land and building
assets - either in its full asset and liabilities register or as a village
inventory.
The following information must be published:
a. description (what it is, including size/acreage),
b. location (address or description of location),
c. owner / custodian, e.g. the authority manages the land or asset on
behalf of a local charity.
d. date of acquisition (if known),
e. cost of acquisition (or proxy value),
f. present use.
April each year,
following Inventory
Review
Village Inventory and
Website
Minutes, Agendas and
Papers of Formal Meetings
Publication of draft minutes from all formal meetings not later than
one month after the meeting has taken place.
Publication of meeting agendas and associated meeting papers not
later than three clear days before the meeting to which they relate is
taking place
As directed
Website & Main
Village Notice Board
Created January 2017
Reviewed February 2019
Next review February 2020