Spotlight Powys

Welshpool Town Council

Audit results for a community or town council

This audit was conducted on 24/10/2023. The Welsh Government Statutory Guidance on Access to Information on Community and Town Councils can be found here.

Score: 102 / 123 points

75.6%

Duty met

31 out of 41 duties

7.3%

Duty partially met

3 out of 41 duties

9.8%

Duty not met

4 out of 41 duties

7.3%

Duty not applicable

3 out of 41 duties

  Room for improvement

Below are the duties which have not been met, or partially met for Welshpool Town Council.

Activity Duty Result Comment
Annual reports Duty to publish an annual report at the end of each financial year (and publish electronically on the council website)
Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, s52(1)
 Duty partially met Annual Report on the website, however no link to the document.
Biodiversity Duty to seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity and publish a report every 3 years on what it has done to meet the duty
Environment (Wales) Act 2016, s6(1)
 Duty not met Unable to find on website.
Information Duty to have a publication scheme
Freedom of Information Act 2000, s19
 Duty partially met Data Protection Policy & FOI on the website, however no link to the document.
Information Duty to publish electronically the allowances and amounts given to each councillor
Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011, s151
 Duty not met Failure to publish the information electronically - no link to the document on website.
Information Duty to establish, maintain and publish a register of interests of councillors (extended to community councils by s49(6))
Local Government Act 2000, s81(1)
 Duty not met Failure to publish the information electronically - no link to the document on website.
Training plans Duty to make and publish a training plan
Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, s67(1)
 Duty not met Failure to publish the information - no link to the document on website.
Well-being of Future Generations Duty to take all reasonable steps towards meeting local objectives in the local well-being plan (and to report annually)(if required)
Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2014, s40
 Duty partially met Contained within Annual Report (assumed), however no link to the document on website.
  Audit Breakdown

Below is the individual audit breakdown for Welshpool Town Council.

Activity Duty Result
Allotments Duty to provide allotment gardens if demand unsatisified
Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908, s23
 Duty met
Annual reports Duty to publish an annual report at the end of each financial year (and publish electronically on the council website)
Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, s52(1)
 Duty partially met
Biodiversity Duty to seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity and publish a report every 3 years on what it has done to meet the duty
Environment (Wales) Act 2016, s6(1)
 Duty not met
Burial grounds, cemetries and crematoria Duty to maintain in a good and decent state
Open Spaces Act 1906, s10
 Not applicable
Code of Conduct Duty to adopt a code of conduct
Local Government Act 2000, s51
 Duty met
Co-option Duty to advertise
Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011, s116
 Not applicable
Crime and Disorder Duty to exercise functions with regard to the effect on crime and disorder
Crime and Disorder Act 1998, s17
 Duty met
Finance Duty to make arrangements for the proper administration of the council's financial affairs and secure that one of their officers has responsibility for the administration of those affairs
Local Government Act 1972, s151
 Duty met
Finance Duty to make a budget calculation
Local Government Finance Act 1992, s50
 Duty met
Finance Duty to prepare accounting statements
Accounts and Audit (Wales) Regulations 2004, reg. 14
 Duty met
Finance Duty to consider and approve by resolution the accounting statements no later than 30 June
Accounts and Audit (Wales) Regulations 2004, reg. 15(2)
 Duty met
Finance Duty to publish the accounting statements with the opinion given by the auditor or display a notice containing the same for at least 14 days
Accounts and Audit (Wales) Regulations 2004, reg. 15(5)
 Duty met
Finance Duty to give notice of public rights of inspection for at least 14 days and notify the auditor that a notice has been displayed
Accounts and Audit (Wales) Regulations 2004, reg. 17
 Duty met
Finance Duty to publish a notice for at least 14 days upon conclusion of an audit
Accounts and Audit (Wales) Regulations 2004, reg. 18
 Duty met
Governance Duty to have standing orders with respect to the making, or on their behalf, of contracts for the supply of goods or materials or for the execution of works.
Local Government Act 1972, s135(2)
 Duty met
Information Duty to have a publication scheme
Freedom of Information Act 2000, s19
 Duty partially met
Information Duty to publish information electronically on how to contact the clerk
Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013, s55(1)(a)
 Duty met
Information Duty to publish electronically councillor names and how to contact a councillor
Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013, s55(1)(b)(i) & (ii)
 Duty met
Information Duty to publish electronically councillor party affiliation (if any)
Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013, s55(1)(b)(iiii)
 Duty met
Information Duty to publish electronically the ward which a councillor represents (where relevant)
Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013, s55(1)(b)(iv)
 Duty met
Information Duty to publish electronically any offices held by a councillor (chair, vice chair, etc)
Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013, s55(1)(b)(v)
 Duty met
Information Duty to publish electronically any committee membership held by a councillor
Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013, s55(1)(b)(vi)
 Duty met
Information Duty to publish electronically minutes and documents
Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013, s55(1)(c)
 Duty met
Information Duty to publish electronically the audit statement of the council's accounts
Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013, s55(1)(d)
 Duty met
Information Duty to publish electronically any public notices on the council's website
Local Government Act 1972, s232(1)(c)
 Duty met
Information Duty to publish electronically the allowances and amounts given to each councillor
Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011, s151
 Duty not met
Information Duty to establish, maintain and publish a register of interests of councillors (extended to community councils by s49(6))
Local Government Act 2000, s81(1)
 Duty not met
Meetings Duty to hold annual meeting in May
Local Government Act 1972, Sch. 12, para. 23(1)
 Duty met
Meetings Duty to hold meeting within 14 days of election
Local Government Act 1972, Sch. 12, para. 23(2)
 Not applicable
Meetings Duty to ensure meetings are open to the public unless the public are excluded by resolution
Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, s1
 Duty met
Meetings Duty to publish electronically a notice of the meeting and fixed in a conspicious place in the community
Local Government Act 1972, Sch. 12, para. 26(2)(a)
 Duty met
Meetings Duty to publish electronically any documents relating to the business to be transacted at a meeting
Local Government Act 1972, Sch. 12, para. 26(2)(aa)
 Duty met
Meetings Duty to publish a summons to attend specifying the business to be transacted and must be sent to every member of the council electronically
Local Government Act 1972, Sch. 12, para. 26(2)(b)
 Duty met
Meetings Duty to ensure notice of meeting contains information about how the meeting is being held (remote only or partly remote) and the time of the meeting and how to access the meeting
Local Government Act 1972, Sch. 12, para. 26(2ZA)
 Duty met
Meetings Duty to publish electronically before the end of 7 working days a note setting out who attended, apologies, declarations of intrest and any decision taken including outcome of votes
Local Government Act 1972, Sch. 12, para. 26ZA
 Duty met
Meetings Duty to record the names of members present in a meeting
Local Government Act 1972, Sch. 12, para. 40
 Duty met
Meetings Duty to draw up minutes of proceedings of a meeting
Local Government Act 1972, Sch. 12, para. 41
 Duty met
Meetings Duty to make and publish arrangements for the purpose of ensuring that meetings can be held remotely
Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, s47(1)
 Duty met
Training plans Duty to make and publish a training plan
Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, s67(1)
 Duty not met
Well-being of Future Generations Duty to take all reasonable steps towards meeting local objectives in the local well-being plan (and to report annually)(if required)
Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2014, s40
 Duty partially met
Welsh Language Duty to comply with the Welsh language standards
Welsh Language Measure 2011, s25(1)
 Duty met