Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge town councillors have this week reassured residents that there has been “no inappropriate use of funds” even though proper practices were not followed in the recording of its accounts last year.
An audit report highlighted that processes were not followed in recording the accounts during the completion of the council’s annual return, as Burnham-On-Sea.com first reported in March here.
At the council’s monthly meeting on Monday (June 24th), Cllr Phil Harvey said: “There was no inappropriate use of funds – there were just deficiencies in how we dealt with the accounts.”
Cllr Mike Facey added: “There was a slight mistake, but we can reassure residents that not a penny of public funds went missing.”
Due to a change in the Practitioners Guide for town councils, which sets out ‘Proper Practices’, the Town Council was required to incorporate into its 2018 Return the income and expenditure and reserves of the Joint Burial Committee (JBC) in which it participated with a neighbouring council.
However, the audit report stated: “During May 2018, auditors found that 100% of the income and 100% of the expenditure of the committee had been included in the Council’s accounts rather than just the Council’s share of this income and expenditure as required. This was not in compliance with the updated requirements of the national Practitioners Guide for town councils.”
Sally Jones, the Town Council’s Responsible Financial Officer, who was not to blame for the issues, said: “It was an accounting error which was corrected and we have changed our procedures to avoid it happening again.”
The Joint Burial Board has since been dissolved and has been replaced by a committee in conjunction with Burnham Without Parish Council. Burnham-On-Sea.com
