logo

Latest News

Job Vacancies

Staveley Town Council is looking for the next two members of the Town Clerk's team.  

Do you thrive on variety, have excellent attention to detail and love working with customers?  If the answer is "Yes!" then you might be the person we need!

We are a close-knit team that works hard to support each other and to make the Council successful in providing services and amenities to the local community.

We want to hear from you if you are a self-starter with drive and ambition, and that is strong on delivery.

We aim to be the best at what we do - can you help us achieve that?

 

The Roles

Facilities and Markets Manager - 25 hours per week - SCP 29: £25,155 per annum

Customer Service Assistant - 37 hours per week - SCP 5: £23,500 per annum  - Now in shortlisting stage, thank you for your applications.

 

To apply, please complete our application form and return it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. the application process will remain open until a suitable candidate is found - apply now!

NOTICE OF VACANCY

IN OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR

 

 

 PARISH OF STAVELEY – DUCKMANTON

 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN

 

that due to the resignation of Debbie Wheeldon, a vacancy has arisen in the Office of Councillor for the Parish Council.

 

If by 15 December 2023 (14 days excluding Dies Non, after the date of this notice) a request for an election to fill the said vacancy is made in writing to the Returning Officer at the address below by TEN electors for the said Parish, an election will be held to fill the said vacancy, otherwise the vacancy will be filled by co-option.

 

If an election is called, it will take place not later than 23 February 2024.

 

Dated 27 November 2023

 

Huw Bowen

Returning Officer

Town Hall

Rose Hill

Chesterfield

Derbyshire

S40 1LP

The Council has received an interim audit certificate for the financial year end of 2022-2023.  Unfortunately the External Auditor has not been able to complete their review in time for the required deadline of 30 September.  This is no fault on the part of the Council, having submitted all documents within the required timeframe, however, the previous year audit has not been completed which prevents this latest year from being signed off. 

View the Notice of Audit and associated sections of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return.

STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL

 

Chesterfield Borough Council

 

Election of a Parish Councillor

 

The following is a statement of the persons nominated for election as a Parish Councillor for

 

Staveley - Duckmanton

 

Name of Candidate

Home Address

Description

(if any)

Name of Assentors

Proposer(+), Seconder(++)

Reason why no longer nominated*

BAGSHAW

Mick

 

23 Laurel Crescent, Hollingwood,

Chesterfield,

S43 2LA

Staveley Matters

Yates Graham A +

 

 

 

 

Yates Daniel K ++

 

HARTLEY

Stephen James

(address in Chesterfield)

Liberal Democrats

Bailey Jacquelyn L +

 

 

Bailey Jonathan D ++

 

 

 

 

 

HIBBERT

Martin Christopher

 

3 Dulwich Court,

Westlands,

Barrowhill,

S43 2PT

Community Independent

Clifford John A +

 

 

Sanderson Philippa L ++

 

 

 

 

 

KHERA

Channi

 

92 Sycamore Road, Hollingwood,

Chesterfield,

S43 2LP

Labour Party

Collins Jennifer H +

Collins Peter ++

 

 

 

 

 

*Decision of the Returning Officer that the nomination is invalid or other reason why a person nominated no longer stands nominated.

 

The persons above against whose name no entry is made in the last column have been and stand validly nominated.

A POLL WILL BE TAKEN on Thursday 15 February 2024 between the hours of 7:00 am and 10:00 pm.

 

 

Your views are wanted! 

Staveley Town Council has approved a Draft Strategic Delivery Plan to cover the administration period from 2024-2027.  The plan sets out the Council's proposed activities over the next 3 years and will guide budget setting over the next 3-5 years. 

The plan is high level, containing a number of ideas to support the future of the parish of Staveley, and addressing necessary improvements to Town Council governance and operations.

Read the Draft Council Strategic Delivery Plan 2024-2027.

Respond to the consultation using this form link: https://forms.office.com/e/6aECDv79Sg

Hardcopy forms are also available at Staveley Hall.

Staveley Town Council Improvement Board

Staveley Town Council in conjunction with Chesterfield Borough Council, the Local Government Association, and the National Association of Local Councils have agreed to establish an independent Improvement Board to review the Town Council’s finances and governance arrangements to:

·         Determine the causes of the Council’s financial insolvency.

·         Forensically examine the Council’s accounts from an agreed point in time through to the end of the 2022/23 financial year.

·         Assess the Council’s governance arrangements over the same time period, making recommendations for improvement.

·         Provide advice to the Council on any forms of recourse that might be available to it to address any significant concerns raised during the Board’s investigation.

·         Support the development and implementation of short-term and medium-term improvement programmes, focused on improving the Council’s operations, finances and governance arrangements.

·         Monitor the Council’s delivery against the improvement programmes and make further recommendations to the Council as appropriate.

 

The Staveley Town Council Improvement Board comprises:

 

Mark Edgell:

Local Government Association, East Midland’s Principal Adviser

 

Tracy Manning

Deputy Chief Executive, Fylde Council

 

Jonathan Owen:

Chief Executive, National Association of Local Councils

 

Neil Taylor:

District Council Chief Executive (retired)

 

As part of this work the 4th August, 2023 has been set aside for interviews with Staveley Town Council Councillors, and also Staveley residents to listen to their viewpoints to get a rounded view of the way forward.

 

If you would like to meet the Improvement Board on the 4th August, 2023 please contact the Staveley Town Council Clerk (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 01246 473132) to agree a convenient time for a personal meeting with members of the Improvement Board.

 

The Board are looking forward to hearing a range of peoples’ views particularly about what improvements could be put in place for the future. So please make an appointment if you would like to participate in this process.  ( N.B. we do not know what demand will be like for people to participate, and a further day will be arranged if necessary)

 

Neil Taylor

Chair

Staveley Town Council Improvement Board

Staveley Town Council is to embark on a new era as its councillors today (28 November) agreed a comprehensive plan to improve how the town council represents and provides services to its residents.

 

An Improvement Board made up of independent local government experts was brought in by the town council to help regain public confidence and demonstrate their ambitions and ability to deliver value for money services whilst prudently managing its finances.

 

At a meeting of the town council held on 28 November, councillors considered and accepted the Board’s report into the town council’s financial challenges which examined its operations and finances and their governance arrangements.

 

Compiled over the last year involving hearing a full spectrum of views from councillors, residents and stakeholders, the report found a clear desire of councillors to make the town council effective for residents, and lots of potential and opportunities for the area but more effective partnership working was needed. Another positive finding was the current clerk has good experience, a sound understanding of the town council’s finances and councillors can place a lot of confidence in her work.

 

Among the key areas addressed in the report are the cumulative financial impact of previous events such as Covid-19, the council’s budget, staffing, financial reporting, governance arrangements and member conduct and training.

 

Recommendations in the report include:

 

  • Councillors should focus on delivering the 2024-27 Corporate Delivery Plan
  • Establishing a formal training programme for councillors
  • Putting in place a protocol to make the relationship between officers and members clearer
  • Demonstrating good governance through accreditation under the Local Council Award Scheme
  • Signing up to the national Civility and Respect Pledge
  • More effective and regular reporting of financial statements and audit reports to committees and the town council
  • Reviewing the town council’s asset base
  • Preparing an action plan to implement the recommendations of the report

 

Councillor Elaine Tidd, chair of Staveley Town Council, said: “Today marks a new era for Staveley Town Council as we firmly draw a line under the past and open a new chapter to better represent and serve the local community.

 

“The town council fully accepts the report and findings of the Improvement Board and is committed to implementing its recommendations.

 

“On behalf of the town council I want to thank the Improvement Board and Chesterfield Borough Council for their invaluable help, guidance, and support over the last twelve months.

 

“We are now determined to put our past difficulties behind us and re-establish the organisational credibility and confidence in the town council. Lighting the way to the brighter future is the town council’s motto and that is what we will be focusing on delivering over the months and years ahead.”

 

The full report of the Improvement Board can be found at https://www.staveleytowncouncil.gov.uk/images/documents/STC_Investigation_Report_Nov_2023.pdf

Join us to create Christmas lanterns ready for our lantern procession and Christmas Lights Switch on event.  You can book onto our workshops using our online form: https://forms.office.com/e/2aT82kCiCV

There are four sessions limited to 30 places per session and supported by community artists through Junction Arts.  Please book in to secure a place – adults are welcome to come and take part too, its not just for kids!  Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.  Book online using our form and we will confirm back to you via email if you have got a space.

Smaller authority name: __STAVELEY TOWN COUNCIL___________________

 NOTICE OF PUBLIC RIGHTS AND PUBLICATION OF UNAUDITED ANNUAL GOVERNANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY RETURN

ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

 

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___29 June 2023______________(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 2023, these documents will be available on reasonable notice by application to:

 

(b)   S Doherty, Town Clerk and RFO_______________________

       Staveley Hall, Hall Drive, Staveley , S43 3TN______________

       This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 01246 473132_____

 

commencing on (c) __Monday 3 July 2023 ________________

 

and ending on (d) ___Friday 11 August 2023 ______________

 

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 2015.  The appointed auditor is:

 

PKF Littlejohn LLP (Ref: SBA Team)

15 Westferry Circus

Canary Wharf

London E14 4HD

(This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

 

5. This announcement is made by (e) _S Doherty Town Clerk & 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 at least 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 3-11 July 2023 for 2022/23 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.

 

For more detailed guidance on public rights and the special powers of auditors, copies of the publication Local authority accounts: A guide to your rights are available from the NAO website.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Explanations to ‘No’ answers on the Annual Governance Statement (AGAR 22-23 section 1)

 

Box1 – The Council did not have sufficient control of income and expenditure activity during the first part of the year as explained by the Internal Auditor Report.  Whilst controls were put back in place during the latter part of the year the Council did not feel that it could answer ‘Yes’ to this statement.

 

Box 2 – For reasons relating to internal staffing problems the Council did not maintain sufficient internal controls until the later part of the year.

 

Box 3 – The Council did not comply with proper practices in the first half of the year for the reasons set out above and in the Internal Auditor’s Report.

 

Box 4 – The Council was late in producing its end of year accounts for 2021-22 and subsequently did not meet the requirements of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 in allowing electors to exercise their rights of inspection.