Council Business
Latest News
The Parish Councillors will be holding Surgeries over the next five months (see attached for dates and times) – these are an opportunity for you to talk with them about any concerns, questions, comments etc that you may have over a cup of coffee/tea in The Public Hall – see below for dates and times
The Community Led Library volunteers have identified Book Cycle (a registered not-for-profit charity who run the community led library at Orrell) as the best organisation to provide a community led library service for Billinge. Discussions are now taking place with the Eddleston Centre about it housing the book service.
The Public Hall is available to hire (£10 for an hour; £18 for two hours; £20 for three hours). It is available at no cost for activities/events that are held free of charge and are for the local community. And it can be hired for children’s parties. Please contact the Clerk if you want to know more – clerk@billingeparishcouncil.gov.uk.
Powers and Duties
The Parish Council has a wide range of powers and duties which are defined in law.
In our Parish we deliver a number of services which include:
- Hire of The Public Hall for events and activities for all ages from babies to the elderly
- Play Area at Dam Slacks
- Millennium Garden
Assets
The Asset Register adopted by the Parish Council on 17 /01/22 is available to download here.
Budget and Finance
The Budget 2022/23
The Parish Council agreed its annual budget on 17 January 2022. The budget is the basis for the Precept which contributes to funding the Parish Council and which is an element of your Council Tax, The Budget 2022/23 is available to download here.
Financial Management
At each Parish Council Meeting a Schedule of Payments is presented to the Parish Council for approval by the Clerk who is also the Responsible Financial Officer for the Parish Council. The Payment Schedule is published in full as part of the approved Minutes of each meeting. The Schedules going to each meeting are available on the website when the Agenda is published.
Each quarter a report on spending to-date against the approved budget is presented by the Clerk to the Council and Responsible Financial Officer. The first quarterly report for 2023/24 will be presented to the Parish Council Meeting on 17 July 2023 and will be available to read when the agenda and reports are published on the website on 11 July 2023.
The Year End Accounts and Audit for 2022/23 will be completed soon and will be published on the website.
Year-End Accounts 2021/22
The year-end accounts are included in the Annual Governance and Accounting Statement (AGAR).
Internal and External Audit
Each year the Parish Council’s Accounts are internally and externally audited. As part of that process the Parish Council publish an Annual Governance and Accounting Statement (AGAR) and submit it to the external auditor as part of the audit process. The AGAR was approved at the meeting on 16 May 2022 and is available to download here.
The explanation of variances for the previous year 2020/21 and the bank reconciliation at end of March 2022 are included in AGAR.
The Audit for year ended 31 March 2021 has concluded. Sections 1 and 2 of AGAR are already available – see above. Section 3 of the AGAR (the External Audit Report) and the Notice of Conclusion are now also available to download here Sec 3 AGAR 2122 ConclusionNotice2122. Please contact the Clerk if you have any questions – clerk@billingeparishcouncil.gov.uk
Your Right to Inspect Accounts for 2021/22
On completion of the external audit for 2021/22 a Certificate was issued by the external auditors. The right to inspect accounts is therefore now closed for 2021/22. But if you do have any questions please contact the Clerk.