Meeting Agenda:
Finance and Governance
| Meeting Date: | Monday 17 Nov 2025 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 19:30 |
| Councillors | Angela Baker, Sarah Compton Vice-Chairwoman, Michael Gemmell Smith, Carey Jacques, Alan Layland, Stuart McGregor, Angela Read, Michael Stockdale, Stephen Sumner Chairman, Bob Todd. |
| Committee: | Finance and Governance |
| Venue: | Rickards Hall. 72a High Street Edenbridge, TN8 5AR Kent |
| Notes: | A Finance Committee Meeting will be held at 7:30 pm on 14 July 2025 in Rickards Hall. Members of the public are welcome to observe this meeting. Lorraine Ganney RFO 12 November 2025 |
| Summary: | Finance Committee (draft budget) |
Agenda
Minutes
The disclosure must include the nature of the interest. If an interest becomes apparent to a member during the course of the meeting that has not been discounted under this term, the member must immediately disclose it.
Members of the public, and members with prejudicial interests on items on the Agenda, may make representations, answer, ask questions and give evidence at this meeting in respect of items on the Agenda. (This is the only opportunity for members of the public to make a contribution during the meeting.)
Both public and members are limited to three minutes per person to speak and the total time designated for public questions shall not exceed fifteen minutes unless directed by the Chairman of the meeting.
Business Stream has still not completed the change over, with regards to the Waste Water.
The RFO is still awaiting approval of the registering of the Pavilion with the Royal Mail postcodes, which will hopefully allow us to register and claim for the the Solar Panels there.
The waste bin contract was awarded to Omni by Council in September, they started collections at the end of September , taking over from Sevenoaks District Council.
To note the Consolidated Balance Sheet and Income and Expenditure reports for the second quarter to the 30 September 2025, where presented to full Council on 27 October due to the finance meeting on the 20 October being cancelled due to staff sickness.
Council had no questions, and noted period end balance.
The Working Group has met and a verbal update will be provided at the meeting - further work is needed, with a particular focus on long-term planning and future implementation, but they appear satisfied with their initial overview of the income and expenditure.
Staff and councillors absence prevented the group from further meetings, but the group where provided with detailed reports by the RFO for their review.
Do members have any questions?
The following was reported to full Council (October): To note: Following submission the completed Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) to the external auditor, Mazars, (and as published in The Notice of appointment of date for the exercise of public rights was published announcement date 6 June to 18 July), I am delighted to confirm the external auditor has confirmed a clean audit with no issues. The Notice of conclusion of the audit Annual Return for the year ended 31st March
2025 was published 29 September.
However, there was some discussion during the audit regarding wet signatures left unredacted. After much investigation on their behalf, they confirmed "After discussing the issue with other external auditors and the National Audit Office (NAO) too, we have updated our view regarding the requirement for the AGAR to be added to the website with signatures not redacted. Following these discussions, we have determined that we will only raise reporting issues where the authority have placed an AGAR on their website with signatures redacted and have not provided an unredacted version to external audit. Where the authority has provided a copy of the AGAR with the signatures unredacted to external audit, we will accept this and will not be raising any reporting issues on the AGAR for this matter.
We can confirm that there will not be an expectation for the Council to change their approach to this going forward (unless subsequent legislation mandates a change) so authorities can continue to place a redacted version online and provide the external auditor with an unredacted version".
The completion letter also made comments for some minor scope for improvement in 2025/2026 regarding the 30-days publication period, fixed assets detailed list to be
provided with the audit papers to Mazars, and using use the standard proforma provided in their guidance or in the Practitioner’s Guide when preparing the bank reconciliation for end-of-year AGAR reporting. This will be presented to the internal auditor.
Do members have any comments?
| Website link to AGAR page |
| Edenbridge Town Council - Completion Letter (ID 2383951).pdf |
Council September meeting has already received information on this and confirmed the expenditure to aid a review of its data protection compliance and policies with 12 month access to a the Local Council Data Protection Compliance Toolkit.
New AGAR Assertion 10 requirements mean parish and town councils will need to demonstrate compliance with the Data Protection Act and the UK GDPR with the Annual Governance and Accountability Return.
Do members have any questions?
To approve the financial income and expenditure statements to date.
Do members ratify the expenditure report ?
| Accepted expenditure transactions 31 10 25.pdf |
Nothing to report.
Do members accept the expenditure over £500 report?
| Accepted expenditure transactions o500 31 10 25.pdf |
Do members accept the income report?
| Accepted income transactions 31 10 25 A.pdf |
Do members have any questions about the Budget Comparison report?
Do members receive the Budget Comparison report?
| Financial Comparison 14 31 10 25 without next year.pdf |
Do members have any questions about the I&E accounts?
Do members confirm the I&E accounts?
| i and e account period 31 10 25.pdf |
Do members have any questions about the Consolidated Balance Sheet?
Do members receive and confirm the Consolidated Balance Sheet?
| Consolidated Balance Sheet Period 31 10 25.pdf |
Do members have any questions about the Financial Summary Cashbook?
Do members receive and confirm the Financial Summary Cashbook?
| Financial Summary 31 10 25.pdf |
The bank statements have been checked by Cllr Gemmell Smith and the procurement cards have been checked by Cllr Layland. They are available to view at anytime.
Do members have any questions about the bank reconciliations and procurement card reconciliations?
Do members confirm and accept the bank reconciliations and procurement card reconciliations?
| Account EOPeriod rec 31 10 25.pdf |
| Barclaycard 31 10 25.pdf |
Do members approve and accept the transfers out of and between bank accounts?
Nothing to report.
| Confidential Annex Omitted from Papers. |
| Confidential Annex Omitted from Papers. |
| Confidential Annex Omitted from Papers. |
| Confidential Annex Omitted from Papers. |
| Confidential Annex Omitted from Papers. |
| Confidential Annex Omitted from Papers. |