The government’s Transparency Code aims to place more power in citizens’ hands to increase democratic accountability and make it easier for local people to contribute to the local decision-making process and help shape public services.
Farnham Town Council supports this aim by publishing a variety of tools and information. You can search our library for policies and procedures.
Publication of information
The Town Council publishes as much information as it can about its finances, governance and staffing. This includes:
- operating procedures (Standing orders and financial regulations)
- annual reports
- budgets
- year end accounts
- audit reports
- payments for purchases over £100
- details of staff employed
- staff organisation chart
- Farnham Town Council pay scales 2020/21
- see each councillor’s profile to see their declaration of interest
- working groups terms of reference
Contact the Town Clerk if you feel additional data should be available.
Financial regulations
By law, Farnham Town Council is responsible for making sure that its financial management is adequate and effective and that a strong system of financial control is in place.
This information is published in the town council’s financial regulations. The regulations include arrangements for the:
- management of risk, and
- prevention and detection of fraud and corruption.
The financial management of the Council is reviewed by an independent internal auditor Paul Hartley and examined by our external auditor PKF Littlejohn LLP. Their contact details are:
| SBA Team |
| 1 Westferry Circus |
| Canary Wharf |
| London E14 4HD |
Telephone: 020 7516 2200 Email: sba@pkf-littlejohn.com
Responsible financial officer
The Town Clerk is the responsible financial officer. The clerk administers Farnham Town Council’s financial affairs in line with the correct practices, keeps records of accounting practices and makes sure records are maintained and up-to-date.
The Annual Audit
An audit of the Council’s accounts for the previous year is carried out by the external auditor following approval of the accounts. The accounts were considered by councillors at the May Council Meeting.
The public has a right to inspect the Council’s Annual Governance and Accountability Return and supporting records. Electors also have a right to ask the external auditor formal questions or to raise objections to the accounts.
You can see the papers prepared by Farnham Town Council for the 2019/20 audit and the Notice of Conclusion of Audit for last year.
Insurance
See our Certificate of Employer’s Liability Insurance 2020/21 and Certificate of Public Liability Insurance 2020/21.
Farnham Town Council’s insurer is:
| Zurich Municipal |
| Zurich Town and Parish Team |
| PO Box 726 |
| Chichester PO19 9PS |
Telephone: 0800 778 552 Email: enquiries@zurichtownandparish.co.uk
Standing orders
Farnham Town Council is governed by a set of rules and laws called standing orders. The standing orders set out the way Farnham Town Council should conduct its business.
The standing orders include rules ranging from how to manage and conduct a meeting, to the way in which a council should deal with complaints.
Annual report
An annual report is published once a year. It reports on Farnham Town Council’s activities and achievements over the previous year.
See the 2019/20 review which was published in the September edition of Vantage Point magazine and distributed to every home in Farnham.
Procedures and useful information
Information publication scheme and records retention
Powers and duties of the Town Council
Town Clerk Scheme of Delegation
Freedom of information requests (FOI)
Freedom of information requests can be made to any publicly funded body. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) gives you the right to ask for any recorded information we hold on any subject.
We post our responses to Freedom of Information requests online.
Requests for information should be addressed to the Town Clerk using the contact details at the bottom of this page. Alternatively, you can make an FOI request to any public body via the website what do they know.
Environmental Policy Statement
See a copy of Farnham Town Council’s Environmental Policy Statement.
Waverley Borough Council
