Accounts

The principle income of the Parish Council is called the “precept”. The precept is collected via our council tax and is paid by Harrogate Borough Council  The purpose is to help pay for the upkeep of the village, and it is usually paid twice a year (April and September).

Audit

Each year, the Council’s financial accounts and statements are examined by an independent ‘internal’ auditor appointed by the Council.

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 for examination.

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. If you are a registered local government elector (i.e. you appear on the electoral register for the area covered by the Council) you can also ask questions about the accounts and object to them.

In due course (and by the 30th September each year) the Council must also publish a final copy of the audited Annual Return, once this is received back from the External Auditor after they have completed their examination.