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Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2018/19 Part 3
To be completed by Local Councils, Internal Drainage Boards and
other Smaller Authorities*:
• where the higher of gross income or gross expenditure exceeded £25,000
but did not exceed £6.5 million; or
• where the higher of gross income or gross expenditure was £25,000
or less but:
• are unable to certify themselves as exempt (fee payable); or
• have requested a limited assurance review (fee payable)
Guidance notes on completing Part 3 of the Annual Governance and
Accountability Return 2018/19
1. Every smaller authority in England that either received gross income or incurred gross expenditure
exceeding £25,000 must complete Part 3 of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return at
the end of each nancial year in accordance with Proper Practices.
2. The Annual Governance and Accountability Return is made up of three parts, pages 3 to 6:
•The annual internal audit report is completed by the authority’s internal auditor.
•Sections1and2 are to be completed and approved by the authority.
•Section3 is completed by the external auditor and will be returned to the authority.
3. The authority must approve Section 1, Annual Governance Statement, before approving Section 2,
Accounting Statements, and both must be approved and published before 1 July 2019.
4. An authority with either gross income or gross expenditure exceeding £25,000 or an authority with
neither income nor expenditure exceeding £25,000, but which is unable to certify itself as exempt, or is
requesting a limited assurance review, must return to the external auditor by email or post (not both):
• the Annual Governance and Accountability Return Sections 1 and 2, together with
• a bank reconciliation as at 31 March 2019
• an explanation of any signicant year on year variances in the accounting statements
• notication of the commencement date of the period for the exercise of public rights
• Annual Internal Audit Report 2018/19
Unless requested, do not send any additional documents to your external auditor. Y
our external auditor will
ask for any additional documents needed.
Once the external auditor has completed the review and is able to give an opinion on the limited assurance
review, the Annual Governance and Accountability Section1, Section 2 and Section 3 – External Auditor
ReportandCerticate will be returned to the authority by email or post.
Publication Requirements
Under the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, authorities must publish the following information on
a publicly accessible website:
Before 1 July 2019 authorities must publish:
• Notice of the period for the exercise of public rights and a declaration that the accounting statements
are as yet unaudited;
• Section 1 - Annual Governance Statement 2018/19, approved and signed, page 4
• Section 2 - Accounting Statements 2018/19, approved and signed, page 5
Not later than 30 September 2019 authorities must publish:
• Notice of conclusion of audit
•
Section3-ExternalAuditorReportandCerticate
• Sections 1 & 2 of AGAR including any amendments as a result of the limited assurance review.
It is recommended as best practice, to avoid any potential confusion by local electors and interested
parties, that you also publish the Annual Internal Audit Report, page 3.
Page 1 of 6Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2018/19 Part 3
Local Councils, Internal Drainage Boards and other Smaller Authorities*
The Annual Governance and Accountability Return constitutes the annual return referred to in the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015.
Throughout, the words ‘external auditor’ have the same meaning as the words ‘local auditor’ in the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015.
*for a complete list of bodies that may be smaller authorities refer to schedule 2 to the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.
Page 2 of 6
Guidance notes on completing Part 3 of the Annual Governance and
Accountability Return 2018/19
• The authority must comply with Proper Practices in completing Sections 1 and 2 of this Annual Governance and
Accountability Return. Proper Practices are found in the Practitioners’ Guide* which is updated from time to time
and contains everything needed to prepare successfully for the nancial year-end and the subsequent work by
the external auditor.
• Make sure that the Annual Governance and Accountability Return is complete (i.e. no empty highlighted boxes),
and is properly signed and dated. Where amendments are made by the authority to the AGAR after it has
been approved by the authority and before it has been reviewed by the external auditor, the Chairman and
RFO should initial the amendments and if necessary republish the amended AGAR and recommence the
period for the exercise of public rights. If the Annual Governance and Accountability Return contains unapproved
or unexplained amendments, it may be returned and additional costs will be incurred.
• The authority should receive and note the annual internal audit report if possible prior to approving the annual
governance statement and before approving the accounts.
• Use the checklist provided below to review the Annual Governance and Accountability Return for completeness
before returning it to the external auditor by email or post (not both).
• Do not send the external auditor any information not specically requested. However, you must inform your
externalauditoraboutanychangeofClerk,ResponsibleFinancialOfcerorChairman,andprovide
relevant email addresses and telephone numbers.
• Make sure that the copy of the bank reconciliation to be sent to your external auditor with the Annual Governance
and Accountability Return covers all the bank accounts. If the authority holds any short-term investments, note their
value on the bank reconciliation. The external auditor must be able to agree the bank reconciliation to Box 8 on the
accounting statements (Section 2, page 5). An explanation must be provided of any difference between Box 7 and
Box 8. More help on bank reconciliation is available in the Practitioners’ Guide*.
• Explain fully signicant variances in the accounting statements on page 5. Do not just send a copy of the detailed
accounting records instead of this explanation. The external auditor wants to know that you understand the reasons
for all variances. Include complete numerical and narrative analysis to support the full variance.
• If the external auditor has to review unsolicited information, or receives an incomplete bank reconciliation, or
variances are not fully explained, additional costs may be incurred.
• Make sure that the accounting statements add up and that the balance carried forward from the previous year
(Box 7 of 2018) equals the balance brought forward in the current year (Box 1 of 2019).
• The Responsible Financial Ofcer (RFO), on behalf of the authority, must set the period for the exercise of public
rights. From the commencement date for a single period of 30 consecutive working days, the approved accounts
and accounting records can be inspected. Whatever period the RFO sets it must include a common inspection
period – during which the accounts and accounting records of all smaller authorities must be available for public
inspection – of the rst ten working days of July.
• The authority must publish the information required by Regulation 15 (2), Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015,
including the period for the exercise of public rights and the name and address of the external auditor before
1 July 2019.
Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2018/19 Part 3
Local Councils, Internal Drainage Boards and other Smaller Authorities*
Completion checklist – ‘No’ answers mean you may not have met requirements
All sections
Section 1
Section 2
Sections 1 and 2
Internal Audit Report
Have all highlighted boxes have been completed?
For any statement to which the response is ‘no’, is an explanation provided?
Has an explanation of signicant variations from last year to this year been provided?
Has the bank reconciliation as at 31 March 2019 been reconciled to Box 8?
Has an explanation of any difference between Box 7 and Box 8 been provided?
Have all highlighted boxes been completed by the internal auditor and explanations provided?
Has all additional information requested, including the dates set for the period
for the exercise of public rights, been provided for the external auditor?
Trust funds – have all disclosures been made if the authority as a body corporate is a
sole managing trustee? NB: do not send trust accounting statements unless requested.
Has the authority’s approval of the accounting statements been conrmed by
the signature of the Chairman of the approval meeting?
Yes No
*Governance and Accountability for Smaller Authorities in England – a Practitioners’ Guide to Proper Practices,
can be downloaded from www.nalc.gov.uk or from www.ada.org.uk
This authority’s internal auditor, acting independently and on the basis of an assessment of risk,
carried out a selective assessment of compliance with relevant procedures and controls to be in
operation during the nancial year ended 31 March 2019.
The internal audit for 2018/19 has been carried out in accordance with this authority’s needs
and planned coverage. On the basis of the ndings in the areas examined, the internal audit
conclusions are summarised in this table. Set out below are the objectives of internal control
and alongside are the internal audit conclusions on whether, in all signicant respects, the control
objectives were being achieved throughout the nancial year to a standard adequate to meet the
needs of this authority.
Annual Internal Audit Report 2018/19
ENTER NAME OF AUTHORITY
Page 3 of 6Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2018/19 Part 3
Local Councils, Internal Drainage Boards and other Smaller Authorities*
*If the response is ‘no’ you must include a note to state the implications and action being taken to address any weakness in control
identied (add separate sheets if needed).
**Note: If the response is ‘not covered’ please state when the most recent internal audit work was done in this area and when it is
next planned, or, if coverage is not required, the annual internal audit report must explain why not (add separate sheets if needed).
For any other risk areas identied by this authority adequate controls existed (list any other risk areas on separate sheets if needed).
DD/MM/YYSIGNATURE REQUIRED
Date
Signature of person who
carried out the internal audit
DD/MM/YY DD/MM/YYDD/MM/YY
Name of person who carried out the internal auditDate(s) internal audit undertaken
ENTER NAME OF INTERNAL AUDITOR
A. Appropriate accounting records have been properly kept throughout the nancial year.
B. This authority complied with its nancial regulations, payments were supported by invoices, all
expenditure was approved and VAT was appropriately accounted for.
C. This authority assessed the signicant risks to achieving its objectives and reviewed the adequacy
of arrangements to manage these.
D. The precept or rates requirement resulted from an adequate budgetary process; progress against
the budget was regularly monitored; and reserves were appropriate.
E. Expected income was fully received, based on correct prices, properly recorded and promptly
banked; and VAT was appropriately accounted for.
F. Petty cash payments were properly supported by receipts, all petty cash expenditure was
approved and VAT appropriately accounted for.
G. Salaries to employees and allowances to members were paid in accordance with this authority’s
approvals, and PAYE and NI requirements were properly applied.
J. Accounting statements prepared during the year were prepared on the correct accounting basis
(receipts and payments or income and expenditure), agreed to the cash book, supported by an
adequate audit trail from underlying records and where appropriate debtors and creditors were
properly recorded.
H. Asset and investments registers were complete and accurate and properly maintained.
I. Periodic and year-end bank account reconciliations were properly carried out.
K.
IF the authority certied itself as exempt from a limited assurance review in 2017/18, it met the
exemption criteria and correctly declared itself exempt. (“Not Covered” should only be ticked
where the authority had a limited assurance review of its 2017/18 AGAR)
Yes No*
Agreed? Please choose
one of the following
Internal control objective
Not
covered**
L.
During summer 2018 this authority has correctly provided the proper opportunity for
the exercise of public rights in accordance with the requirements of the Accounts and
Audit Regulations.
Not applicable
M. (For local councils only)
Trust funds (including charitable) – The council met its responsibilities as a trustee.
Yes No Not applicable
3
Thatcham Town Council
*Please provide explanations to the external auditor on a separate sheet for each ‘No’ response and describe how the
authority will address the weaknesses identied. These sheets should be published with the Annual Governance Statement.
Section 1 – Annual Governance Statement 2018/19
We acknowledge as the members of:
ENTER NAME OF AUTHORITY
Page 4 of 6Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2018/19 Part 3
Local Councils, Internal Drainage Boards and other Smaller Authorities*
our responsibility for ensuring that there is a sound system of internal control, including arrangements for
the preparation of the Accounting Statements. We conrm, to the best of our knowledge and belief, with
respect to the Accounting Statements for the year ended 31 March 2019, that:
1. We have put in place arrangements for effective nancial
management during the year, and for the preparation of
the accounting statements.
2. We maintained an adequate system of internal control
including measures designed to prevent and detect fraud
and corruption and reviewed its effectiveness.
4. We provided proper opportunity during the year for
the exercise of electors’ rights in accordance with the
requirements of the Accounts and Audit Regulations.
5. We carried out an assessment of the risks facing this
authority and took appropriate steps to manage those
risks, including the introduction of internal controls and/or
external insurance cover where required.
6. We maintained throughout the year an adequate and
effective system of internal audit of the accounting
records and control systems.
7. We took appropriate action on all matters raised
in reports from internal and external audit.
8. We considered whether any litigation, liabilities or
commitments, events or transactions, occurring either
during or after the year-end, have a nancial impact on
this authority and, where appropriate, have included them
in the accounting statements.
9. (For local councils only) Trust funds including
charitable. In our capacity as the sole managing
trustee we discharged our accountability
responsibilities for the fund(s)/assets, including
nancial reporting and, if required, independent
examination or audit.
3. We took all reasonable steps to assure ourselves
that there are no matters of actual or potential
non-compliance with laws, regulations and Proper
Practices that could have a signicant nancial effect
on the ability of this authority to conduct its
business or manage its nances.
prepared its accounting statements in accordance
with the Accounts and Audit Regulations.
‘Yes’ means that this authority:Yes No*
Agreed
made proper arrangements and accepted responsibility
for safeguarding the public money and resources in
its charge.
has only done what it has the legal power to do and has
complied with Proper Practices in doing so.
during the year gave all persons interested the opportunity to
inspect and ask questions about this authority’s accounts.
considered and documented the nancial and other risks it
faces and dealt with them properly.
arranged for a competent person, independent of the nancial
controls and procedures, to give an objective view on whether
internal controls meet the needs of this smaller authority.
responded to matters brought to its attention by internal and
external audit.
disclosed everything it should have about its business activity
during the year including events taking place after the year
end if relevant.
has met all of its responsibilities where, as a body
corporate, it is a sole managing trustee of a local
trust or trusts.
Yes No N/A
AUTHORITY WEBSITE ADDRESS
Authority web address
Other information required by the Transparency Codes (not part of Annual Governance Statement)
Signed by the Chairman and Clerk of the meeting where
approval was given:
Chairman
Clerk
SIGNATURE REQUIRED
SIGNATURE REQUIRED
This Annual Governance Statement was approved at a
meeting of the authority on:
and recorded as minute reference:
MINUTE REFERENCE
DD/MM/YY
Thatcham Town Council
I certify that for the year ended 31 March 2019 the Accounting
Statements in this Annual Governance and Accountability
Return have been prepared on either a receipts and payments
or income and expenditure basis following the guidance in
Governance and Accountability for Smaller Authorities – a
Practitioners’ Guide to Proper Practices and present fairly
the nancial position of this authority.
I conrm that these Accounting Statements were
approved by this authority on this date:
Signed by Chairman of the meeting where the Accounting
Statements were approved
Signed by Responsible Financial Ofcer before being
presented to the authority for approval
as recorded in minute reference:
MINUTE REFERENCE
DD/MM/YY
DD/MM/YY
SIGNATURE REQUIRED
SIGNATURE REQUIRED
Date
8. Total value of cash and
short term investments
9. Total xed assets plus
long term investments
and assets
10. Total borrowings
The sum of all current and deposit bank accounts, cash
holdings and short term investments held as at 31 March –
To agree with bank reconciliation.
The value of all the property the authority owns – it is made
up of all its xed assets and long term investments as at
31 March.
The outstanding capital balance as at 31 March of all loans
from third parties (including PWLB).
11. (For Local Councils Only) Disclosure note
re Trust funds (including charitable)
The Council, as a body corporate, acts as sole trustee for
and is responsible for managing Trust funds or assets.
N.B. The gures in the accounting statements above do
not include any Trust transactions.
Yes
No
1. Balances brought
forward
2. (+) Precept or Rates and
Levies
4. (-) Staff costs
5. (-) Loan interest/capital
repayments
6. (-) All other payments
7. (=) Balances carried
forward
3. (+) Total other receipts
Total balances and reserves at the beginning of the year
as recorded in the nancial records. Value must agree to
Box 7 of previous year.
Please round all gures to nearest £1. Do not leave any
boxes blank and report £0 or Nil balances. All gures must
agree to underlying nancial records.
Notes and guidanceYear ending
31 March
2018
£
31 March
2019
£
Total amount of precept (or for IDBs rates and levies)
received or receivable in the year. Exclude any grants
received.
Total income or receipts as recorded in the cashbook less
the precept or rates/levies received (line 2). Include any
grants received.
Total expenditure or payments made to and on behalf of
all employees. Include salaries and wages, PAYE and NI
(employees and employers), pension contributions and
employment expenses.
Total expenditure or payments of capital and interest
made during the year on the authority’s borrowings (if any).
Total expenditure or payments as recorded in the cash-
book less staff costs (line 4) and loan interest/capital
repayments (line 5).
Total balances and reserves at the end of the year. Must
equal (1+2+3) - (4+5+6).
Section 2 – Accounting Statements 2018/19 for
ENTER NAME OF AUTHORITY
Page 5 of 6Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2018/19 Part 3
Local Councils, Internal Drainage Boards and other Smaller Authorities*
Thatcham Town Council
529,425
579,263
717,085
717,085
238,084
-250,609
-279,311
-548,606
-74,210
-526,540
-487,868
579,263
693,043
646,201
767,268
4,368,878
4,395,083
1,058,002
1,017,668
✔
Page 6 of 6
Section3–ExternalAuditorReportandCerticate2018/19
ENTER NAME OF AUTHORITY
ENTER NAME OF EXTERNAL AUDITOR
1 Respective responsibilities of the body and the auditor
This authority is responsible for ensuring that its nancial management is adequate and effective and that
it has a sound system of internal control. The authority prepares an Annual Governance and Accountability
Return in accordance with Proper Practices which:
• summarises the accounting records for the year ended 31 March 2019; and
• conrms and provides assurance on those matters that are relevant to our duties and responsibilities as
external auditors.
Our responsibility is to review Sections 1 and 2 of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return in accordance
with guidance issued by the National Audit Ofce (NAO) on behalf of the Comptroller and Auditor General
(see note below). Our work does not constitute an audit carried out in accordance with International Standards
on Auditing (UK & Ireland) and does not provide the same level of assurance that such an audit would do.
2 External auditor report 2018/19
*Note: the NAO issued guidance applicable to external auditors’ work on limited assurance reviews in Auditor
Guidance Note AGN/02. The AGN is available from the NAO website (www.nao.org.uk)
DD/MM/YYSIGNATURE REQUIRED
Date
External Auditor Name
(Except for the matters reported below)* on the basis of our review of Sections 1 and 2 of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return, in
our opinion the information in Sections 1 and 2 of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return is in accordance with Proper Practices and
no other matters have come to our attention giving cause for concern that relevant legislation and regulatory requirements have not been met.
(*delete as appropriate).
Other matters not affecting our opinion which we draw to the attention of the authority:
*We do not certify completion because:
(continue on a separate sheet if required)
(continue on a separate sheet if required)
3 External auditor certicate 2018/19
We certify/do not certify* that we have completed our review of Sections 1 and 2 of the Annual Governance and
Accountability Return, and discharged our responsibilities under the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, for
the year ended 31 March 2019.
External Auditor Signature
Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2018/19 Part 3
Local Councils, Internal Drainage Boards and other Smaller Authorities*
In respect of
Thatcham Town Council
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Full 24Jun19 Item7b2

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