Traffic Calming

Published on February 11, 2023

Speed limits through the village

We’ve had some good news regarding our application to reduce the speed limit through the village. As a reminder, we had proposed to a) reduce the existing 30 mph limit to 20 mph throughout the village, and b) put in place a 30 mph limit extending from the church all the way past the entrance to Fern Farm.

The county council has approved these proposals and has also agreed to provide the funding for the new road signage.

This is excellent news, especially as the Swindon Eastern Expansion gathers pace. We’re hoping the new limits and signage will be place within the next three months.

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.