General
Bedale Town Council is a small local authority funded largely by public money. The Council is responsible for ensuring that its business is conducted in accordance with the law and proper standards, that public money is safeguarded and properly accounted for, and that its business is run economically, efficiently and effectively.
The Clerk to the Council acts as the Council’s advisor and administrator and is the Responsible Financial Officer for administering the Council’s finances.
The Council's main source of income is the Precept which is collected on its behalf by Hambleton District Council through the council tax system. Bedale Town has a population in the region of 3,000 adults and the precept for 2019-20 is £64,264.
The council works to an annual budget, which is usually set in November of the previous year. The 2021-22 budget is available here:
Audited Accounts
The External Auditor's report, the certified AGAR, and the Notice of Conclusion of Audit for 2020-21 will be available below once the audit is concluded. The previous year's document remain available below until then.
- Notice of Conclusion of Audit 2019-20 Bedale Town Council.pdf
- Annual Governance and Accountability Review parts 1-2 2019-20 Bedale Town Council.pdf
- External Audit Report and Certificate 2019-20 Bedale Town Council.pdf
Annual Return
The Annual Return summarises the previous year's financial activity. It is subject to internal audit by an independent accounting professional, and submitted to the External Auditor, who for the 2019-20 accounting period is PKF Littlejohn LLP.
Annual Return documentation is shown here:
- Bedale Town Council receipts and payments 2020-21
- Bedale Town Council cash and investment reconciliation as at 31 March 2021
- Bedale Town Council internal audit report 2020-21.pdf
- Bedale Town Council Annual Governance and Accountability Review submitted to external auditor
Public Rights
During the annual period of exercise of public rights - which in 2021 was 21 June to 30 July - any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates, and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records will be made available for inspection by any person interested.
Information from the National Audit Office about public rights is available here.
