Date of issue: 9th June 2005

ACCOUNTANT IS KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT COUNCIL CLERKS CONFERENCE

Alan Robertson, a partner with chartered accountants Clement Keys, Birmingham, was one of the keynote speakers at the first national conference to be staged by the Society of Local Council Clerks.

The two-day event took place at London's Britannia Conference Centre and was attended by 130 delegates.

Alan took to the platform with George Wisz from the Audit Commission to discuss the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) and how it applies to larger parish councils being those Parish and Town Councils in England operating with a gross income or expenditure (whichever is the greater) of in excess of £500,000.

The SORP requires Councils to prepare and present financial statements which require far more preparation than those presented by smaller Councils under the "lighter touch" regime introduced nearly four years ago. The purpose of the presentation was to give guidance to those Councils who were approaching the £500,000 threshold so that they could take appropriate and timely steps to ensure they were ready for the change.

Clement Keys is currently the appointed auditor to parish councils in Warwickshire and Worcestershire and Alan drew on this experience when explaining how the SORP impacts on those Councils who must prepare accounts following the principles set out in SORP.

"Local authorities adopting the SORP for the first time are obliged to make available a great deal more information on their financial position than under the "lighter touch" regime. This, and the new formats of accounts, means that councils must plan early to ensure that they have the expertise and resources available to meet their obligations to electors," says Alan.

"We were delighted to give delegates attending the first Society of Local Council Clerks conference some practical advice on how Councillors and their Clerks can meet their obligations under legislation and the SORP."