Sustainable Dittisham is looking for householders and projects in Dittisham, Ashprington & Cornworthy, Blackawton, Dartmouth and Kingswear willing to take part in this year’s Open Eco Homes event, happening this autumn as part of the Devon-wide Open Eco Homes programme.
Could you open your home for a few hours to inspire others?
My own home has taken part in three previous tours and, from first-hand experience, it’s one of the most rewarding community events we’ve been involved in. Visitors come to see real homes, ask honest questions and learn from people who have already made changes to their homes.
Importantly, you do not need to have a “perfect eco-home” to take part.
Visitors are often most inspired by homes that are similar to their own, including ordinary houses, ongoing projects and low-cost improvements. Whether you’ve installed a heat pump, improved insulation, added solar panels, created a wildlife-friendly garden, experimented with natural materials or simply taken steps to reduce energy use, your experience could help someone else take their first step.
Previous hosts have said:
“There is something so heartwarming about this weekend. Everyone cares about the planet and is wanting to do something to help.”
“People want to hear what heat pumps are really like from someone who actually has one. Having weekends like this helps to disprove misinformation.”
Events across Devon will take place between 12 September and 11 October 2026. Once we know who would like to participate locally, we’ll choose the date that works best for the group. Typically you would give a period of time on the day where you will be open, so it needn’t take up your whole day. You get to decide which parts of your property people can access, and if you plan more of a guided tour, also allowing you to speak to many people at once, then a couple of starting times makes sense so people know when to turn up to take part.
If you’re interested in opening your home or project, or would simply like to find out more with no commitment, I’d love to hear from you.
Equally if you know someone who would be an ideal host then please pass this message on.
Minutes of the monthly meeting of Dittisham Parish Council held in Dittisham Village Hall on Wednesday 3 June 2026 at7:00pm
Present: Parish Cllrs Bond (Chair), Golding, J Green, Hawkes, Neale, Unitt & Taylor were present, as was C Radford (Clerk). C.Cllr Rake was present for part of the meeting. 4 members of the public attended. Apologies: Cllr Pope
Public Forum i) It was confirmed that letters sent by members of the public (MoP) concerning item 8.2, planning application 1144/26/FUL had been circulated and read by Parish Councillors (cllrs).
ii) A MoP attending to introduce the grant application in support of the Parish Churchyard commented that this will be her last year providing voluntary support to the churchyard. The volunteer that has been the Hon. Treasurer for the past 25 will also be handing their role on. The Parish Council celebrated contributions made by volunteers and thanked the outgoing role holders for their efforts.
1. Apologies were received as above. 2. Declaration of Interests Cllrs declared an interest in the following items: Cllr Neale on item 5.4 payment 2606_5. Cllr Bond on item 5.4 payment 2606_6. 3. Approval of Minutes 3.1 It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the annual meeting of Dittisham Parish Council held on 6 May 2026 as an accurate record without amendments. 3.2 It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the monthly meeting held on 6 May 2026 as an accurate record without amendments. 3.3 It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the EGM held 20 May 2026 as an accurate record without amendments. 4. Community Reports To receive reports from:
4.1 South Hams District Council Councillor No report
4.2 Devon County Council Councillor (C.Cllr)
– Library Services Devon County Council (DCC) has decided not to reduce the hours in libraries and to put further funds from DCC’s budget underspend into the service. There are some cases where adjustment to the hours will have a positive impact on how the libraries are used. DCC is still looking for library services to be transformed and become a broader service.
– Local Government Reorganisation A decision will be announced soon as to the Government’s preferred option for restructuring of local government. The C.Cllr commented that he is increasingly of the view that it will be a moment of immense peril for Local Government, having seen the way that some elected cllrs comport themselves. The C.Cllr commented that cllrs elected in May 2027 will have the responsibility in forming the new Unitary Authority and encouraged all electors to have a really good look at candidates putting themselves forward and whether they are up to the job. It was commented that the established parties have governance structures and support in place for their councillors to help them navigate expectations of the role. This support is not in place in newer parties that are putting forward candidates. In response to queries from cllrs it was confirmed that the date of the announcement of the preferred LGR model is expected in July and secondary legislation will be laid out in the House of Commons shortly afterwards. There will be elections in May 2027 with those elected members forming a ‘shadow authority’. Current County and District Councillors will remain in place whilst the ‘Shadow Authority’ have 11 months to prepare the new system. The new Unitary Authority to go live on 1st April 2028. It was noted that not all current District and County Councillors will stand for re-election and those who do not would not be directly involved in managing the transition. It is uncertain what the ramification for Parish Councils will be during this period. It was commented that the biggest risk currently lies in recruitment of senior local authority officers. 5. Financial Matters 5.1 St George’s Church (yard) Grant It was noted that the Finance Working Group met 27/05/26 to review the Parochial Church Council’s (PCC) request for a £2,625 grant towards the cost of maintaining the Parish churchyard. Dittisham Parish Council granted £1250 in the 2025/26 financial year and included the same amount in this year’s budget. Having considered the Finance Working Group’s recommendation, it was RESOLVED that the Parish Council continue to support the Churchyard and Church and give a grant of £1,300. It was agreed that in considering any future grant application the council would need to better understand, and possibly challenge, the allocation of burial fees and the funding of legal fees to do with churchyard land.
5.2 2025/26 Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) 5.2.1 Receive the draft Internal Auditor’s report and consider any comments. It was RESOLVED to update the Parish Council website to note that ‘The Clerk to the Council has been appointed as RFO (LGA1972 s151) as advised. It was RESOLVED to forward comments to the Internal Auditor where the report requires editing for factual accuracy.
5.2 2 Annual Governance Statement – Consider the findings of the review by the members meeting as a whole Cllrs considered findings.
– Approve Governance StatementIt was RESOLVED to approve the Governance Statement ticking ‘yes’ for all questions 1-8, NA for question 9 and ‘yes’ for 10. The return was signed by the Clerk and the Chair and dated.
5.2.3 Annual Accounting Statement – Consider the Accounting Statements by the members meeting as a whole Cllrs considered findings.
– Approve the Accounting Statements by resolutionIt was RESOLVED to approve the Accounting Statement
– Ensure the accounting statements are signed and dated by the person presiding at the meeting It was noted that the return had been signed by the Clerk prior to presentation to the Council. The statements were signed by the Chair and dated.
5.2.4 Consider Notice of Date of Commencement of Period for the Exercise of Public Rights It was RESOLVED that the that the period for the Exercise of Public Rights would commence on Friday 5 June – Thursday 16 July 2026. The Clerk confirmed that notices would be posted at least one day in advance of the commencement date and be published together with sections 1 and 2 of the AGAR.
5.3 Receipts and Payments between meetings The following payment was noted:
– Payment 2604_16 Lloyds bank fee = £4.25
5.4 June Payments It was RESOLVED to make the following payments:
– Payment 2606_1 Pension contributions on Clerk’s May Salary: Employers contribution @ 16.98 and Employee contribution @ 22.63Salary = £39.61 no VAT
– Payment 2606_2 to CRadford May Clerk Salary (month 2) = £887.81 no VAT
– Payment 2606_3 to HMRC for Tax and NI on Clerk’s May Salary = £275.76 no VAT
– Payment 2606_4 to MHurrell for monthly car park checks and banking takings (May) = £150 no VAT
– Payment 2606_5 to Reimbursement: JottaCloud backup services Monthly renewal May at 12EUR per month £10.40. Lebara mobile phone monthly renewal May at £4.90 per month. Refreshments for Parish Meeting Weds 20.05.26 at £67.30. = £82.60
– Payment 2606_6 to RBond for reimbursement: HP Instant Ink at £3.74 plus £0.75 VAT = £4.49
– Payment 2606_7 to ARCCAS Invoice 326 Monthly grounds maintenance invoice 3 of 10 at £430 plus £86 VAT = £516
– Payment 2606_8 St George’s Church 2026_27 Grant = £1300 No VAT
– Payment 2606_9 Parish Lengthsman Contract: Remainder of 2024/25 Financial Year = 9 hours totalling £216.00 no VAT. Lengthsman services for 2025/26 = 50.5 hours totalling £1212.00 no VAT (£24 per hour)
– Payment 2606_10 to Tech-Nes Advice on repairing DPC computer issues or replacement. 20 minute ‘Quick Help’ service @ £10 per 10 minutes. = £20.00
– Payment 2606_11 to Trace Design Consultants inv H1470 Project No: 4718 / Site: Dittisham Graveyard & Car Park Project Assessment Meeting at £375.00 plus travel £47.30 plus £84.46 VAT = £506.76
5.5 Purchase costs – Laptop costs The Clerk had sought advice on whether the memory and hard drive on the Council’s Dell Inspiron could be updated. Advice was that the processor was out of date and a replacement would be more cost effective. On reviewing replacement options compiled by the Clerk it was RESOLVED to purchase a Dell 16 laptop at a cost of £624.17 plus VAT.
– 20s Plenty SignageIt was RESOLVED to allocate budget of £30 to purchase corrugated plastic for 20’s Plenty signage. Stickers will be distributed to people to put on their own wheelie bins. It was agreed that Cllr Bond will co-ordinate the number of stickers placed in pinch points in the village where people are travelling too fast; The Level, Manor Street, near the bus on Riverside Road, so to avoid overloading the area with signage. It was noted that the DCC Neighbourhood Highways Officer will add the refresh of the 20mph road markings to the works list when the potholes are done. It was noted that there are also ‘SLOW’ road markings that could be refreshed. 6. South Hams District Council’s Planning Decisions The following decisions were noted:
6.1 0700/26/CLP 2 Meadow Cottages The Level Dittisham, Certificate of lawfulness for proposed conversion of two flats into a single dwelling APPROVED
6.2 0954/26/CLB Quicks Cottage Lower Street Dittisham Certificate of lawfulness for proposed installation of EV Charger in Garage APPROVED 7. Note Withdrawn Planning Applications The following withdrawn application was noted:
7.1 1154/26/HHO Lauriston, Riverside Road, Dittisham, Householder application for Erection of a single storey outbuilding WITHDRAWN 8. New Planning Applications to consider a recommendation to the planning authority on the following applications:
8.1 1267/26/ARC Chipton Barton Dittisham Application for approval of details reserved by condition 5 (WSI/Recording) of planning consent 0246/25/LBC. The Parish Council will make no comments.
8.2 1144/26/FUL Pipiriki, Riverside Road, Dittisham Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of new detached dwelling and associated landscaping works It was RESOLVED to OBJECT to the application on the following grounds:
– Material considerations include:The scale of the development, which is four times the existing footprint, and as a result the impacts on the nature of the immediately agent conservation area and views, heritage assets and the fact that it sits within the South Devon National Landscape.
– Within that context the side elevations would practically effect neighbours’ views to the river and outlooks to the existing properties, and the south east elevation on being on three levels with a significant glass façade will materially dominate views from the river and other areas of designated National Landscape.
– As a practical matter the choice of significant glass across the south east elevation and on other facades will give rise to light pollution and also reflect during hours of daylight. There are concerns linked to this as it relates to preservation of biodiversity.
– There are a number of houses that have been sympathetically extended due to their historic nature along this road and the Parish Council would suggest this is considered in any future application rather than wholesale redevelopment which by its very nature of demolition of an existing structure and new development causing a very significant carbon impact to the environment as opposed to a simple extension and modification.
– The trees represented on the plan are not representative of the trees on the actual territory. 9. Reports from Councillors’ Working Groups, Parish Projects and External Forums 9.1 Neighbourhood Plan An update was shared about the Neighbourhood Plan when everyone gathered for the Annual Meeting of the Parish, as part of public consultation. A date has been set for the Neighbourhood Plan steering group to consider next steps, looking at made plans from other similar areas for ideas.
9.2 Maintenance Working Group 9.2.1 To receive an update following the working group meeting and consideration of any recommendations It was noted that the Maintenance Working Group met on 21 May 2026 to review the maintenance schedule. A copy of the schedule was circulated, noting maintenance works likely required in 2026 and actions to forward that. It was RESOLVED to seek quotes for the following jobs: 1) Level Carpark: Replacement post required to safeguard the parking meter. 2) Bus shelter – Replace section of seating on East side 3) Foothpath 14 needs a large stone replacing in the wall next to the stream and the end of a pipe tidying up 4) Footpath 17 needs to have steps repaired.
9.2.2 To consider actions following memorial bench request, including develop or seek out a ‘Memorial Bench Policy’. It was noted that the Parish Council had responded to the memorial bench query received, but had not received a further reply. It was RESOLVED to draft a Memorial Bench Policy and to include a clause enabling the Parish Council to take a co-ordinated design approach when selecting and installing memorial benches. ACTION: The Maintenance Working Group were tasked with developing a short policy for review by Full Council.
9.3 Car Park/Burial Ground Project An update had been received from the Project Managers informing the Council that a meeting of consultants was held on site on 13 May. Consultants from Trace Design believed that the criteria for both vehicle and pedestrian access could be met and once a scheme for 40 vehicles and a graveyard had been designed, a meeting would be sought with the Senior Highways officer at DCC discuss the project. The Project Managers are chasing completion of the Option Agreement. The landowner and agent will be seeking quotes from a lawyer for producing the Option Agreement and deducing title. This is still awaited. Public interest in the scheme was noted by cllrs, and it was reiterated that the Parish Council is supportive of the feasibility study, with all other decisions pending the outcome of this.
9.4 Ham Events Working Group Update to the Terms and Conditions are ongoing by members of the Working Group.
9.5 Dittisham Village Hall Management Committee (DVHMC) Reports Reports to and from the committee were noted.
9.6 Parish Paths Partnership (P3) It was noted that the working group met on the 22 May 2026 at which the updated P3 paper work from DCC was discussed. The broken signs on Footpath (FP) 7 and FB 9 have been reported to DCC. The issues will be assessed by June 8 Proposed maintenance on footpaths FP 14 and FP17 were included in the list of works at item 9.2.1. It was RESOLVED 10 waymarkers be purchased from DCC and posted to Cllr Neale. ACTION: The Clerk to forward all paperwork to DCC including the waymarker order. 10. Clerk’s update – Additional bin emptying on The Ham has been booked for the 17 additional visits in the period 8 July – 28 October 2026 inclusive. SHDC has confirmed that the cost will be the same as the previous year of £5 per bin, or £255 plus VAT, or with a small inflationary increase.
– Parking Permits have been established for West Dart Bus and the Environment Agency for The Level car park with SHDC.
– Grant thanks The Clerk has received messages from the West Dart Bus and Dittisham Village Stores for the grants made.
– Advice regarding a large tree in Dittisham The Clerk has now received a response from SHDC Tree Officer to queries raised following the Parish Council’s meeting in December 2025 in response to concerns from a member of the public about the safety of a significant tree on entry to the Level Car Park. The Tree Officer would not be supportive of the removal or major tree survey works on the beech tree (T0025), on the entrance to The Level car park at the moment. He commented that it present high levels of public amenity, that the survey raised no concerns and that having seen the tree on his visits to the village he saw no immediate cause for concern. This information has been forwarded to the residents concerned about the health of the tree, who have requested a copy of the annual tree survey each year. 11. Loaning out the Dittisham Parish Council Projector The Parish Council considered if the projector owned by the Parish Council could be used by hirers if requested. It was RESOLVED to say no to this request. 12. Marquee for village event on Sunday 5 July It was noted that a village event will be held on the football field, using a marquee that will still be in place following a wedding the previous day. 13. Parish Lengthsman 13.1 Lengthsman feedback There was a short discussion with regard to managing the contract.
13.2 Receive any invoices from contractor for 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years It was noted that the Lengthsman last invoiced for works completed up to 25/09/2024. Invoices for the remainder of the 2024/25 year and 2025/26 year had been received. Cllrs reviewed the dates. It was RESOLVED to pay the invoices.
13.3 Consider draft brief and advertisement Cllrs considered the documents as prepared by the Clerk. It was RESOLVED to increase the hourly rate to £25 per hour. It was agreed to circulate the brief and advertise in the Dartmouth Chronical and the Parish Council’s usual channels: e.g. Facebook, WhatsApp groups and consider any applications received at the September meeting. It was agreed that Clerk forward to the Parish Council’s ground maintenance contractor. 14. Policy Review 14.1 Proposed Climate Policy Consider process for drafting policy Following discussion, it was RESOLVED to refer this to the Environment Working Group part of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group and ask for a recommendation of what should be included in the policy.
14.2 Approved Herbicides and Pesticides Policy (2021) The statement dated 6 October 2021 was reviewed. It was agreed to include the statement “that DPC will not use or request use of herbicides or pesticides except in an extreme circumstance” in the proposed Climate Policy above.
14.3 Dittisham Parish Council Delegation Scheme was reviewed with a minor amendment noting that the delegation scheme will be reviewed annually in May, rather than specifying the year.
14.4 Proposed Reserves Policy It was RESOLVED to that the Finance Working Group would undertake a review of the policy and come back to the Parish Council with a recommendation.
14.5 Proposed Investments Policy It was RESOLVED to adopt the policy as drafted. 15. Correspondence and Contacts to note or consider To note – Dart Harbour Port Masterplan Consultation Cllrs were informed that the final draft of the Dart Harbour Port Masterplan has been published for consultation. The plan can be found here: https://arcg.is/0GPfHu. The online feedback form can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DartHarbourMasterplan. The Harbour Authority is keen to receive as wide a range of opinions as possible. Consultation presentation events and drop in sessions are being held throughout May, June and July. Those upcoming include: 15 Jun in Kingswear, 18 Jun in Totnes, 3 Jul in Galmpton, 25 Jul in Dartmouth.
– Slippery Lane, Dittisham Cllrs are informed that following a report made via Devon County Council’s ‘Report it’ site on 20 April, a response has been received to comment that an assessment was made on 11 May 2026, with the officer entering the following comments: “DCC are considering ways to stop the surface water coming from the adjacent properties causing this route to become slippery, an order is currently in our planned programme for attention in 2027-28.” – Community Conversations- June event Cllrs are informed that the next event being run by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service will take place on 12 June will be sharing the insight and ideas behind an upcoming campaign which focuses on reducing preventable garden fires linked to BBQs, fire pits and outdoor burning. Information about all upcoming Community Conversations are available via the Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service website (HTML)
– Closure of The Level for 3 days Cllrs are informed that following queries about the nature of the road closure and if alternative parking arrangements would be offered to residents who have permits at The Level Car Park, the Clerk has been advised by Highways that the road closure will only be in place for 1 day and those working on site will enable vehicles to pass when it is safe to do so.
– Temporary Traffic Notice – Higher Street, Brambletorre Cross to Higher Street, East Cornworthy Cross to Brambletorre Cross & East Cornworthy Cross to Brambletorre Cross, Dittisham (TTTRO2670061) Cllrs are informed that a road closure will be in place between the hours of 8am – 6pm from 15 -17 July 2026 to enable road patching. A signed diversion will be in place.
– DALC #25 2026 e-bulletin: Publishing cllrs home addresses Cllrs are informed that this bulletin includes an update from NALC which advises the Parish Council that from 29 June 2026, local authorities must not publish an elected or co-opted member’s home address in local authority registers of interest unless the member has requested otherwise. The exact address details are still declared to the monitoring officer, remain available internally to authorities and will continue to prevent conflicts of interest. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk remove Parish Councillor home addresses from the Parish Council website and all notices as well as from the register of interests. To consider: – Protecting the River Dart – Potential Legal Action Against South West Water Cllrs are informed about correspondence from a law firm investigating legal action against all water companies in the country, including South West Water, for polluting rivers, beaches and lakes. As part of the investigations, the firm is keen to know more about the impact of sewage pollution in the River Dart to understand whether litigation can hold South West Water to account. In order to do that it is critical to speak with those affected by pollution. The firm intends to visit Dartmouth in the coming weeks to see what the pollution has done to the river, and would very much appreciate the opportunity to meet with the Parish Council in person. The firm is happy to arrange an introductory call in advance of their visit. The Parish Council is asked if it is interested to meet with the law firm, and if so, to provide available in June. Full correspondence includes more information about the case and about the law firm in question. ACTION: The Clerk to forward details to Cllrs N. Green and Taylor.
– DALC #22 2026 e-bulletin Cllrs are informed that the e-bulletin includes a call for councillors interested in joining Devon Association of Local Council’s board of directors. There was no interest.
– Community Emergency Hubs – June Workshops Cllrs are informed that Devon Communities Together is providing a free Community Emergency Hub kit to 100 communities across the county. Community Emergency Hubs can be set up in local buildings and do not require volunteers to be identified in advance. When a hub is opened, simple role cards allow those who are available to step into clear roles immediately, helping the hub operate safely and effectively. Interested community members should attend an online workshop. Cllrs agreed that the Emergency Plan is sufficient for Dittisham.
– Membership has expired CRM:0001559 Membership to Devon Communities together has expired. The membership fee for organisations with an income over £5000 is £50 per year. It was RESOLVED to allow membership to lapse.
– 20260527 Worst car park experience ever Cllrs are informed of an email received commenting on difficulties using coins in one of the car parking machines and the issues with downloading the relevant app. It is noted that the coin fault could not be replicated on later testing. It was RESOLVED the Clerk submit a query asking why South Hams District Council hasn’t opted into The National Parking Platform. 16. Next Meeting: The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on Wednesday July 1 2026 at 7:00 pm.
Dittisham Parish Council Investment Strategy (Version dated 03/06/26)
Parish Councils with balances over £100,000 are required to have an Investment Strategy in place. The Parish Council first adopted a strategy in June 2026 to help guide the Parish Council in prudent investment of temporary surplus funds held on behalf of the community. Download Dittisham Parish Council’s 2026 Investment Strategy by clicking this link (PDF)
Dittisham Parish Council Reserves Policy (TBC)
The Parish Council is in the process of drafting a Reserves Policy, that will be published on these pages shortly.
Applications are invited for a contract to keep clear the channels to take water off the road in the Parish.
Please see the brief below. Closing date is 5pm Wednesday 26 August 2026.
DITTISHAM PARISH COUNCIL Incorporating the Hamlet of Capton and the Manors of Bozomzeal and Coombe
Brief for tender
Clerk: Ms Cat Radford 07979 381356
Date of Brief: 4 June 2026
Date of Parish Council consideration of responses: 2 September 2026
Contract
Parish Lengthsman Role
Location
The Parish of Dittisham
1) Term
The Contract is for an initial term commencing September 2026 to 31 March 2027 with an optional extension for two additional years with a total term of approximately three years ending 31 March 2029.
2) Key tasks
a) Monitoring and clearing as required the drainage infrastructure which drains water off the roads in the Parish.
b) Emergency clearance of drainage blockages.
c) Two full monitoring checks of drains – Autumn and pre-Spring.
d) Some preventive removal of leaves in order to prevent blocked drains, including in the Village in the Autumn.
e) Some preventive removal of removal of weeds where they affect drainage.
f) Report drains blocked by landowners to Devon County Council (DCC) on its website.
g) Jubilee Steps:
Use a salt based solution, or alternative solution agreed with DPC, four times a year to reduce slipperiness.
Clear the steps of vegetation and take it away. In the Autumn/early Winter this may require clearance up to weekly.
h) Slippery Lane
Regularly sweep to prevent the build up of algae
Devon County Council is the Authority responsible for maintenance of the Highway.
This work supplements the maintenance carried out by DCC.
Not all the drainage channels will be kept clear. The priority of the work is to keep clear the drainage necessary for road safety and passage of vehicles on the roads. The priority locations are detailed in the ‘Priority List’ provided.
3) Hours
60 hours per 12 months
Time required each month will vary depending on the season and the weather.
4) Grant funded work
DPC may be able to obtain grant funding from DCC to carry out additional pre-emptive work to improve the infrastructure which drains the water off the roads in the Parish.
Before & after photos and the time spent is required by the grant funder for this work.
5) Reporting
A monthly report should to be submitted by email to the Parish Clerk for circulation with the agenda of monthly meetings of the Parish Council.
The report will provide a summary work completed, hours, and any issues identified in the course of work.
Reports can be short. The priority is that they are clear and note anything urgent or action required.
6) Reimbursement
£25 per hour, payable on provision of a written invoice for approval by a meeting of Dittisham Parish Council
7) Tools
You will provide your own tools, safety equipment, and any other equipment required.
8) Insurance and managing risk
Proof of current, adequate insurance to carry out the work is required on an ongoing basis.
You will be responsible to draft the necessary risk assessments appropriate to delivery of the contract
9) Training
A Lengthsman is required to have Chapter 8 status in order to be able to work on the highway. If the interested contractor does not have this qualification, then the Parish Council has agreed to put that training in place for the right candidate.
10) Handover
A handover and maps will be provided.
11) Sub-Contracting
Works may be sub-contracted to a third party. Such a sub-contractor would report to the named Contractor signing this agreement. The named Contractor would be responsible for ensuring the quality and safety of the subcontractor’s work. DPC requires notification of any subcontracting in advance and evidence of applicable public liability insurance and Chapter 8 qualification must be provided in advance.
12) Health and Safety and Environmental Obligations
The Contractor shall accept full responsibility for compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act and all other Acts and Regulations in respect of the work comprised in this Contract. The Contractor shall ensure that no harm to any person, property or the environment may arise from the Contractor’s acts or omissions in relation to the contract.
13) Submitting a quotation
If interested in the contract for services, please submit the following by email to
Name and whether applying as sole trader, limited company, partnership, etc. If appropriate, include company name, company address, company registration number.
A quotation detailing:
your experience, qualifications and how you would manage the key tasks
confirmation of your capacity to deliver the brief
confirmation of your understanding of the reporting requirements
proof of insurances held
proof of Chapter 8 certification – or willingness to obtain the qualification.
at least 2 testimonials/references
Deadline 5pm Wednesday 26 August 2026 Quotations will be considered by the Parish Council on 2 September 2026
NOTICE OF PUBLIC RIGHTS AND PUBLICATION OF UNAUDITED ANNUAL GOVERNANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY RETURN
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026
Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 Sections 26 and 27
The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/234)
NOTICE
NOTES
1. Date of announcement__4 June 2026 (a)
2. Each year the smaller authority’s Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) needs to be reviewed by an external auditor appointed by Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments Ltd. The unaudited AGAR has been published with this notice. As it has yet to be reviewed by the appointed auditor, it is subject to change as a result of that review.
Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records must be made available for inspection by any person interested. For the year ended 31 March 2026, these documents will be available on reasonable notice by application to:
(b) Cat Radford, Clerk and RFO
07979 381356
commencing on (c) Friday 5 June 2026
and ending on (d) ___ Thursday 16 July 2026
3. Local government electors and their representatives also have:
The opportunity to question the appointed auditor about the accounting records; and
The right to make an objection which concerns a matter in respect of which the appointed auditor could either make a public interest report or apply to the court for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful. Written notice of an objection must first be given to the auditor and a copy sent to the smaller authority.
The appointed auditor can be contacted at the address in paragraph 4 below for this purpose between the above dates only.
4. The smaller authority’s AGAR is subject to review by the appointed auditor under the provisions of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 and the NAO’s Code of Audit Practice 2024. The appointed auditor is:
PKF Littlejohn LLP (Ref: SBA Team) 30 Churchill Place London E14 5RE ()
5. This announcement is made by (e) __Cat Radford, Clerk and RFO____
(a) Insert date of placing of the notice which must be not less than 1 day before the date in (c) below
(b) Insert name, position and address/telephone number/ email address, as appropriate, of the Clerk or other person to which any person may apply to inspect the accounts
(c) Insert date, which must be at least 1 day after the date of announcement in (a) above and exactly 30 working days before the date appointed in (d) below
(d) The inspection period between (c) and (d) must be 30 working days inclusive and must include the first 10 working days of July.
(e) Insert name and position of person placing the notice – this person must be the responsible financial officer for the smaller authority
LOCAL AUTHORITY ACCOUNTS: A SUMMARY OF YOUR RIGHTS
Please note that this summary applies to all relevant smaller authorities, including local councils, internal drainage boards and ‘other’ smaller authorities.
The basic position
The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 (the Act) governs the work of auditors appointed to smaller authorities. This summary explains the provisions contained in Sections 26 and 27 of the Act. The Act and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 also cover the duties, responsibilities and rights of smaller authorities, other organisations and the public concerning the accounts being audited.
As a local elector, or an interested person, you have certain legal rights in respect of the accounting records of smaller authorities. As an interested person you can inspect accounting records and related documents. If you are a local government elector for the area to which the accounts relate you can also ask questions about the accounts and object to them. You do not have to pay directly for exercising your rights. However, any resulting costs incurred by the smaller authority form part of its running costs. Therefore, indirectly, local residents pay for the cost of you exercising your rights through their council tax.
The right to inspect the accounting records
Any interested person can inspect the accounting records, which includes but is not limited to local electors. You can inspect the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records. You can copy all, or part, of these records or documents. Your inspection must be about the accounts, or relate to an item in the accounts. You cannot, for example, inspect or copy documents unrelated to the accounts, or that include personal information (Section 26 (6) – (10) of the Act explains what is meant by personal information). You cannot inspect information which is protected by commercial confidentiality. This is information which would prejudice commercial confidentiality if it was released to the public and there is not, set against this, a very strong reason in the public interest why it should nevertheless be disclosed.
When smaller authorities have finished preparing accounts for the financial year and approved them, they must publish them (including on a website). There must be a 30 working day period, called the ‘period for the exercise of public rights’, during which you can exercise your statutory right to inspect the accounting records. Smaller authorities must tell the public, including advertising this on their website, that the accounting records and related documents are available to inspect. By arrangement you will then have 30 working days to inspect and make copies of the accounting records. You may have to pay a copying charge. The 30 working day period must include a common period of inspection during which all smaller authorities’ accounting records are available to inspect. This will be 1-14 July 2026 for 2025/26 accounts. The advertisement must set out the dates of the period for the exercise of public rights, how you can communicate to the smaller authority that you wish to inspect the accounting records and related documents, the name and address of the auditor, and the relevant legislation that governs the inspection of accounts and objections.
The right to ask the auditor questions about the accounting records
You should first ask your smaller authority about the accounting records, since they hold all the details. If you are a local elector, your right to ask questions of the external auditor is enshrined in law. However, while the auditor will answer your questions where possible, they are not always obliged to do so. For example, the question might be better answered by another organisation, require investigation beyond the auditor’s remit, or involve disproportionate cost (which is borne by the local taxpayer). Give your smaller authority the opportunity first to explain anything in the accounting records that you are unsure about. If you are not satisfied with their explanation, you can question the external auditor about the accounting records.
The law limits the time available for you formally to ask questions. This must be done in the period for the exercise of public rights, so let the external auditor know your concern as soon as possible. The advertisement or notice that tells you the accounting records are available to inspect will also give the period for the exercise of public rights during which you may ask the auditor questions, which here means formally asking questions under the Act. You can ask someone to represent you when asking the external auditor questions.
Before you ask the external auditor any questions, inspect the accounting records fully, so you know what they contain. Please remember that you cannot formally ask questions, under the Act, after the end of the period for the exercise of public rights. You may ask your smaller authority other questions about their accounts for any year, at any time. But these are not questions under the Act.
You can ask the external auditor questions about an item in the accounting records for the financial year being audited. However, your right to ask the external auditor questions is limited. The external auditor can only answer ‘what’ questions, not ‘why’ questions. The external auditor cannot answer questions about policies, finances, procedures or anything else unless it is directly relevant to an item in the accounting records. Remember that your questions must always be about facts, not opinions. To avoid misunderstanding, we recommend that you always put your questions in writing.
The right to make objections at audit
You have inspected the accounting records and asked your questions of the smaller authority. Now you may wish to object to the accounts on the basis that an item in them is in your view unlawful or there are matters of wider concern arising from the smaller authority’s finances. A local government elector can ask the external auditor to apply to the High Court for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful, or to issue a report on matters which are in the public interest. You must tell the external auditor which specific item in the accounts you object to and why you think the item is unlawful, or why you think that a public interest report should be made about it. You must provide the external auditor with the evidence you have to support your objection. Disagreeing with income or spending does not make it unlawful. To object to the accounts you must write to the external auditor stating you want to make an objection, including the information and evidence below and you must send a copy to the smaller authority. The notice must include:
confirmation that you are an elector in the smaller authority’s area;
why you are objecting to the accounts and the facts on which you rely;
details of any item in the accounts that you think is unlawful; and
details of any matter about which you think the external auditor should make a public interest report.
Other than it must be in writing, there is no set format for objecting. You can only ask the external auditor to act within the powers available under the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.
A final word
You may not use this ‘right to object’ to make a personal complaint or claim against your smaller authority. You should take such complaints to your local Citizens’ Advice Bureau, local Law Centre or to your solicitor. Smaller authorities, and so local taxpayers, meet the costs of dealing with questions and objections. In deciding whether to take your objection forward, one of a series of factors the auditor must take into account is the cost that will be involved, they will only continue with the objection if it is in the public interest to do so. They may also decide not to consider an objection if they think that it is frivolous or vexatious, or if it repeats an objection already considered. If you appeal to the courts against an auditor’s decision not to apply to the courts for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful, you will have to pay for the action yourself.
If you wish to contact your authority’s appointed external auditor please write to the address in paragraph 4 of the Notice of Public Rights and Publication of Unaudited Annual Governance & Accountability Return.
