Public Notices
NOTICE OF CONCLUSION OF AUDIT AND RIGHT TO INSPECT THE ANNUAL RETURN
ANNUAL RETURN FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2011
Section 14 of the Audit Commission Act 1998
The Accounts and Audit (England) Regulations 2011 (SI 2011/817)
1. The audit of the accounting statements for the Market Weighton Internal Drainage Board for the year ended 31 March 2011 has been concluded.
2. The accounting statements are available for inspection by any local government elector for the area of the Market Weighton Internal Drainage Board on application to:
Mr Andrew Morritt, Clark to the Board, Market Weighton Drainage Board, 91 Bridgegate, Howden, Goole, DN14 7JJ
3. Copies will be provided to any local government elector on payment of £10.00 for each copy of the annual return
Mr Andrew Morritt, Clerk to the Board
26 September 2011
NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF DATE FOR THE EXERCISE OF ELECTORS' RIGHTS
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2011
Audit Commission Act 1998, Sections 15 and 16 and The Accounts and Audit Regulations 20111. Date of announcement 28 March 2011
2. Each year the Board's annual return is audited by an auditor appointed by the Audit Commission. Any person interested has the right to inspect the accounts and make copies of the annual return and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers and receipts relating to the accounting statements. For the year ended 31 March 2011 these documents will be available on reasonable notice by application to:
A F Morritt, Clerk to the Board, Market Weighton Drainage Board, 91 Bridgegate, Howden, Goole, DN14 7JJ
between the hours of 09.00 and 16.00 on Mondays to Fridays
commencing on 11 April 2011
and ending on 15 May 2011
3. Local electors and their representatives have rights to:
- question the auditor about the accounts; and
- object to the accounts or any item in them. Written notice of an objection must first be given to the auditor and a copy sent to the Board
The auditor can be contacted at the address in paragraph 4 below for this purpose on 16 May 2011 and until the audit has been completed.
4. The Board's audit is being conducted under the provisions of the Audit Commission Act 1998, the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2011 and the Audit Commission's Code of Audit Practice. Your audit is being carried out by:
Audit Commission, 2nd Floor, Aspinall House, Aspinall Close, Middlebrook, Bolton BL6 6QQ
5. This announcement is made by A Morritt, Clerk to the Board
INTERNAL DRAINAGE BOARDS’ ACCOUNTS: A SUMMARY OF YOUR RIGHTS
The basic position
By law 37 any interested person has the right to inspect the Board’s accounts. If you are entitled and registered to vote in local council elections in any local authority within the Internal Drainage Area then you (or your representative) also have the right to ask the appointed auditor questions 38 about the Internal Drainage Board’s accounts or object to 39 an item of account contained within them.
The right to inspect the accounts
When your internal Drainage Board has finalised its accounts for the previous financial year it must let you know that they are available for inspection. Having given the Board reasonable notice of your intentions, you then have 20 working days to look through the accounting statements in the annual return and any supporting documents. By arrangement you will be able to make copies of the accounts and the relevant documents although 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 Board’s policies, finances, procedures or anything else not related to the accounts. Your question must be about the accounts that they are auditing. The auditor does not have to say whether they think something the Board has done, or an item in its accounts, is lawful or reasonable.
The right to object to the accounts
If you think that the Board has spent money that it shouldn’t have, or that someone has caused a loss to the Board deliberately or by behaving irresponsibly, you can object to the external auditor by sending a formal ‘notice of objection’, which must be in writing to the address below. You must tell the auditor why you are objecting. 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 Board or tell the public about in a ‘public interest report’. Again, you must give your reasons in writing to the auditor at the address below and send a copy to the Board. In this case, the auditor must decide whether to take any action. The auditor will normally, but does not have to give reasons for their decision and you cannot appeal to the courts. More information is available from the Audit Commission website.
You should not use this ‘right to object’ to make a personal complaint or claim against your Board. You should take such complaints direct to your local Citizens’ Advice Bureau, local Law Centre or to your solicitor. You may also be able to complain to the Standards Committee or your local authority if you believe a Member of the Board has broken the Code of Conduct for Members. For further information about the local standards framework, contact Standards for England at: The Standards for England, Fourth Floor, Griffin House, 40 Lever Street, Manchester, M1 1BB, telephone 01618175300 or email: enquiries@standardsforengland.gov.ukStandards for England website is www.standardsforengland.gov.uk
What else you can do
Instead of objecting, you can give the auditor information that is relevant to their responsibilities. For example, you can simply tell the auditor if you think that something is wrong with the accounts or if you identify waste and inefficiency in the way the board runs its services. You do not have to follow any set time limits or procedures. The auditor does not have to give you a detailed report of their investigation, but they will usually tell you the outcome.
A final word
Internal Drainage Boards, and so local taxpayers, must meet the costs of dealing with questions and objections. When the auditor decides whether to take you objection further, one of a series of factors they must take into account includes the cost that will be involved. They 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.
Copies of the publication Council Accounts – Your Rights are available by calling Freephone 0800502030 or by download from the Audit Commission website at http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/aboutus/contactus/pages/councilaccountqueries.aspx
If you with to contact your Board’s appointed external auditor please write to: Audit Commission, 2ndFloor, Aspinall House, Aspinall Close, Middlebrook, Bolton BL6 6QQ
37 Section 15(1) Audit Commission Act 1998
38Section 15(2) Audit Commission Act 1998
39Section 15(1) Audit Commission Act 1998