Expenditure over £500
Last autumn, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (CLG) wrote to local authority associations and individual principal authorities requesting that all public bodies publish on their websites from 1 January 2011, details of every payment made by them over £500. It was made clear that councils were expected to comply with this request and if they did not, the Secretary of State could consider using his reserve powers to require compliance.
The Local Government Association subsequently issued a draft Code of Practice on how councils should comply with the request. This guidance was specifically aimed at principal councils and was not particularly helpful for local councils. Some commentators have taken this, and a Government statement, that “144 out of 354 councils had complied” to mean that the request does not apply to town and parish councils. This is not the understanding of the Society of Local Council Clerks after discussions with the officials in Government.
The CLG Minister, Robert Neil, in answer to a Parliamentary Question on4 November 2010 said “we are requesting them (town and parish councils) to publish details of expenditure over £500”. The CLG Transparency Unit has also advised that “sector bodies” can expect to be consulted “very shortly” on specific guidance as to how town and parish councils should comply. Further information is awaited.
In the mean time, where Councils are able to comply with the request they should do so without incurring too much time or expenditure. The Town Council has, therefore, agreed to make this information available to the public via our website.
Expenditure over £500 March 2012
Expenditure over £500 - February 2012
Expenditure over £500 - January 2012
Expenditure over £500 -December 2011
Expenditure over £500 -November 2011
Expenditure over £500 - October 2011
Expenditure over £500 - September 2011
Expenditure over £500 - August 2011
Expenditure over £500 - July 2011
Expenditure over £500 - June 2011
Expenditure over £500 - May 2011
Expenditure over £500 - April 2011
Expenditure over £500 1 April 2010 - 31 March 2011
