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Notice of Conclusion of Audit

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Nether Stowey Parish Council

Notice of conclusion of audit

Annual Governance & Accountability Return for the year ended 31 March 2024

Sections 20(2) and 25 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014

Section 16 of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/234)

1. The audit of accounts for Nether Stowey Parish Council for the year ended 31 March 2024 has been completed and the accounts have been published.

2. The Annual Governance & Accountability Return including the auditor’s certificate and opinion is available for inspection and copying by any local government elector of the area of Nether Stowey Parish Council on application to:

Caro Slaymaker

Clerk to the Parish Council

clerk@netherstowey-pc.gov.uk

10am-1pm Monday-Wednesday and Friday

3. Copies will be provided to any local government elector of the area on payment of £1 for each copy of the Annual Governance & Accountability Return.

Announcement made by: Caro Slaymaker

Date of announcement: 16 September 2024

More information at https://netherstowey-pc.gov.uk/your-parish-council/accounts

Do you qualify for Pension Credit? You may not get Winter Fuel Payments if you don’t. Find out more!

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Nether Stowey Parish Council urges residents of state pension age to check whether they could claim Pension Credit, which is worth over £3,500 a year on average. Do you know someone of pension age who might qualify? Please let them know!

From this autumn, those not claiming Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits will no longer get the annual winter fuel payments, currently worth between £100 and £300.

Pension Credit can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges. You may also be able to get help with heating costs, help with rent and Council tax, a free TV licence for those aged over 75 years and help with the cost of NHS services, such as NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs to hospital appointments.

You might get extra help if you’re a carer, severely disabled, or responsible for a child or young person.

Pension Credit is separate from your State Pension and you can get Pension Credit even if you have other income, savings or own your own home.

Someone may still get Pension Credit if they:

  • have not paid National Insurance contributions
  • have some savings or a small pension
  • live with their grown-up family
  • own their own home

Use the Pension Credit calculator to find out how much Pension Credit someone could get – without giving any personal details. Check your eligibility at www.gov.uk/pension-credit or by calling 0800 99 1234. Advice is also available at AgeUK – pension credit or call into the Parish Office

Stowey Gardeners meeting on 19 September

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New Councillor – Lesley Bowditch and other changes

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The Parish Council are delighted to welcome Lesley Bowditch to the Council. She was co-opted at the Parish Council meeting on 8 July, bringing the Council back to full strength for the first time in almost a year.

At the same meeting, Cllr John Roberts was elected Chairman of the Council, and Cllr Kevin Ferriday was elected Vice-Chairman.

A full list of current Councillors and details of the new MP for the Bridgwater constituency is available here.

Parish Council Accounts and Audit 2023/2024

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Annual Governance and Accountability Return (unaudited)
Notice of public rights and audit
Local Authority Accounts: a Summary of your Rights

Furter documents are available at the Parish Council Finance and Accounts page

The Local Audit & Accountability Act 2014 and the Accounts & Audit Regulations 2015 set out the responsibilities of all local councils in respect of their accounting and auditihttp://the Parish Council Finance and Accounts pageng procedures. As part of this process, the Council must publish the unaudited Annual Return and must make arrangements for a period in which interested persons can inspect the Council’s accounts and related documents. The period this year is Wednesday 12 June until Tuesday 23 July, during office hours or by appointment.

Each year, the Council’s financial accounts and statements are examined by an independent ‘internal’ auditor appointed by the Council to advise them. This year our accounts were audited by MJ Dodden & Co in Bridgwater.

The Council is also required to complete an ‘Annual Return’ which includes the findings of the Internal Auditor, together with Governance Statements and Financial Statements. This Annual Return is then submitted to another independent ‘external’ auditor, PKF Littlejohn, for examination. The External Auditor is appointed by Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments Ltd (SAAA), not the Parish Council.

If you are a registered local government elector (i.e. you appear on the electoral register for the parish) you can also ask questions about the accounts and object to them. Details about your rights are given in Local Authority Accounts: a Summary of your Rights

The Parish has a new notice board!

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A new notice board has been installed at the corner of Malherbie Road and Church View.

If you would like us to put up a notice about your organisation’s event or similar notice please bring it to the Parish Office or contact Caro at clerk@netherstowey-pc.gov.uk, or phone 01278 733779.

We are happy to have local events, fund-raising and charity events in the Parish. Maximum size A4 please. We will try to put posters up for local events that are in nearby Parishes, but priority is given to official notices and Nether Stowey events.

Please note that we cannot accept political or commercial material of any kind and we reserve the right to refuse any material that we consider unacceptable.

Don’t forget your voter ID

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Voter ID requirement
Voters in England need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in some elections.

Find out more about accepted forms of photo ID

If you don’t have an accepted form of ID you can apply for free voter ID now, which is known as a Voter Authority Certificate or download the form to print here. You can also get a printed form from the Parish Office. Forms must be returned to Somerset Council.

The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate to vote in the Parliamentary general election on Thursday 4 July is 5pm on Wednesday 26 June.

General Election 2024 – and are you registered to vote?

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On 22 May the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak MP, announced the General Election will take place on 4 July 2024. Details of candidates will be available after 5pm on Friday 7 June. Nether Stowey is part of the new Bridgwater Constituency which was created by the The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023 which came into force in November 2023, after a long period of consultation. You can find more details at Boundary-review-2023-which-seats-will-change/. The “West Somerset” part of the constituency is now in a new constituency “Tiverton and Minehead”. Have you registered to vote?! If you received a polling card for the recent Avon and Somerset PCC election you are already registered and you do not need to register unless your details have changed.

Voters need to be registered to take part in the election. Applying only takes five minutes at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote  and must be done on or before 18 June. You can also use this link if you are registered but need to update your details (name, address or nationality).

You can also get a paper form from the Parish Office, but you must return it to Somerset Council by 18 June. The address is below. 

Voters can choose whether to vote at a polling station, by post or by proxy. The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Wednesday 19 June, and for a proxy vote it is 5pm on Wednesday 26 June. Applications should be sent to the Electoral Registration Officer at Somerset Council – the address is below.

Please do not bring or send your form(s) to the Parish Council as we cannot help you. 

Voter ID

For the first time at a UK general election, those voting at a polling station will need to show photo ID. Voters should check now if they have an accepted form of ID at www.gov.uk/how-to-vote/photo-id-youll-need, and if not to apply for free ID, called the Voter Authority Certificate  by 5pm on Wednesday 26 June.

Who can register if you live in England

You must be aged 16 or over. You can register to vote if you’re a British citizen or an Irish citizen. You can also register if you have permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man – or you do not need permission – and you’re a:

  • Commonwealth citizen
  • citizen of Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal or Spain
  • citizen of another EU country, if you have had permission to enter or stay – or not needed permission – since 31 December 2020, and this has continued without a break

Who to contact

For questions about your poll card, polling station, or about returning your postal voting ballot, contact: Somerset Council (formerly Sedgemoor) Electoral Registration Officer Bridgwater House King Square Bridgwater TA6 3AR Phone: 0300 123 2224 Email: electionssedgemoor@somerset.gov.uk Website: Somerset Council website

New Councillor

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The Parish Council are delighted to welcome John Roberts back to the Council after a short retirement. He was co-opted at the Parish Council meeting on 13 May. A full list of current Councillors is available here.

Sadly we also say goodbye to Ella Williams. Her departure leaves another vacancy, which we hope to have authority to fill in June.

If you would be interested in joining the Council, please find more information on the Vacancies and Co-option page,  or chat to a Councillor or call in at the Parish Office.

 

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