COUNCIL MEETING
11 DECEMBER 2025
INTERIM AUDIT REPORT 2025/26
1. The Council’s Internal Auditor has conducted an interim audit for 2025/26
covering the period 1 April – 30 September 2025. The Auditor’s full report is
appended.

2. The Auditor has found the accounts and attendant financial records to be in
order and has made a number of recommendations concerning other aspects
of the audit.

3. Risk Assessment – Fidelity cover.
Fidelity cover is insurance to protect against direct financial losses as a result
of dishonesty by employees, usually fraud. Recommended guidelines for such
cover are year end balances plus 50% of precept. In the previous year’s audit,
the Auditor recommended that the fidelity cover be increased from £300,000
to £500,00 and it was duly increased accordingly. This time because of the
high level of CIL money held in balances, the calculation suggests cover of
£1m and the Council is recommended to review the level of fidelity cover.

The Council’s insurance renewal occurs early in the new year and it is
recommended that the cover be increased to £1m at that juncture in
accordance with the recommended guidelines.

4. Transparency
Currently the Council has no IT policy in place or published and to comply
fully with new requirements the Auditor recommends that the Council consider
adopting the NALC model IT policy and a Data Protection Policy.

It is recommended that the Clerk studies the model policy and at the earliest
opportunity submits to Council a draft IT policy for consideration together with
a draft Data Protection Policy.

5. Transparency Code for smaller authorities
This code lists various information which must be published on the website.
The Auditor failed to find details of expenditure over £500; procurement data
for contracts over £5,000, grants and details of land and car parks.

With the exception of the latter, all such items are already published on the
website, though not in a form which relates directly to the Transparency Code.

It is recommended that the information continues to be published in its
current form but in addition the Clerk creates a new Transparency Code folder
for the website containing all the required information thereby ensuring
compliance with the Code.

6. Reserves
The Auditor is satisfied that the Council’s reserves are reasonable for the
Council’s activities and that earmarked reserves are identified.

7. Conclusion
Overall, this is a very satisfactory report with no major adverse comments
upon the financial management of the Council. The comments and
recommendations of the Auditor, summarised above can be readily addressed
by the end of the financial year.

It is RECOMMENDED that the above recommendations be approved and the
report be noted.

Graham White
Parish Clerk
3 December 2025