Traffic Calming

Published on November 30, 2021

Parish Council priorities

Following a session set aside for discussing the various traffic calming measures available in the village at the last Parish Council meeting, the Council agreed its priorities as:

Reducing the existing 30mph speed limit through the village to 20mph,

Implementing a 30mph speed limit on the stretch of road from the church through to the road passing the entrance to Fern Farm, and

Installing a speed bump at the existing build-out near the church, if affordable.

These measures will require a relatively high level of investment: up to £4,500 has been earmarked for the speed limit changes although this may be insufficient to complete the speed limit changes in one go. The costs of installing the speed bump are currently unknown. Financial assistance may be available from the County Council although this is subject to their budget review in early 2022.

Finally, the cogs of local government can turn quite slowly, and these changes may take some time to implement!

Annual Statutory Documents

The Parish Council (PC) is required to prepare and publish these documents following the end of each financial year. They comprise five main sections:

Certificate of Exemption

Small parish councils are exempt from a detailed annual audit by an external auditor. The definition of a ‘small’ council is annual gross income of less than £25,000; Bourton PC’s annual income falls well within this threshold. This form confirms the PC’s annual income and its exemption from an external audit.

Annual Internal Audit Report

Although exempt from an external audit, the PC’s affairs are still subject to an internal audit by a qualified individual independent of the PC. This is the auditor’s summary report.

Annual Governance Statement

This form deals with the standard of internal controls and general governance standards within the PC throughout the year.

Accounting Statements

This is the summary financial report for the PC for the financial year. It also includes commentary on any significant variances from the previous year’s financial results and a balance sheet reconciliation with bank accounts.

Notice of Public Rights

This notice sets out the rights of local electors to review and query the PC’s statutory returns, including the contact details of the internal auditor.