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Parish accounts transparency concerns grow

Parish accounts transparency concerns grow

Sunday 18 August 2024

Parish accounts transparency concerns grow

Sunday 18 August 2024


Just three of Guernsey's parishes have up to date accounts published to their websites - with five seemingly not sharing the financial data online at all.

Since it was confirmed that St Peter Port's parish accounts have not been signed off or published for three years, Express sought to find the accounts for the other nine parishes.

Just St Martin's, St Saviours, and the Vale have their accounts for 2023 published to their parish websites.

parish accounts

Pictured: The above accounts are all easy to find on the individual parish websites. 

These documents show the amount of money each parish had as revenue during the year, what they had spent, and what operating surplus they were left with.

We can see that St Martin's spent £607,448 during the year, while the Vale spent £669,178. The less-densely populated parish of St Saviour's spent £279,942 during 2023.

This money was spent on various administrative charges, refuse collections, playgrounds, school contributions, and more.

By contrast, Express was unable to find up to date accounts for any of the other parishes online. 

St Pierre du Bois' website shows the parish's accounts for 2022, while 2019's accounts are available on the St Sampson's website.

St Sampson's Senior Constable Leonie Le Tissier acknowledged that "(the parish) website requires updating and work to make it more user friendly; this is in hand as it is recognised it is out of date in many areas."

She also explained that the up to date accounts are all publicly accessible.

"Our parish accounts are produced by DNA Limited and further, they are then audited by Moore Stephens. 

"As stated within our Gazette Officielle Notices, prior to our Spring Parish Meetings where they are approved together with the Remede (budget) for the year, they are available for inspection at the office."

Accounts for the island's other parishes are either not available online at all - or they are not easily accessible as Express was unable to find them.

Torteval's Senior Constable Becky Link has confirmed that the parish accounts for 2023 were signed off though - they just aren't posted online.

"They were presented at our parish meeting in May before we went to the Royal Court for our Remede," she confirmed.

A copy of the accounts is being sent to Express for reference.

Express was waiting to hear back from Castel, Forest, and St Andrews at the time of writing.

parish accounts

Pictured: St Sampson's and St Pierre du Bois both have out of date accounts shared to their website, while Torteval does not post theirs online but copies are made publicly available.

Our search was sparked by the news that St Peter Port's Senior Constable resigned from her post after confirming that the parish accounts had not been signed off since 2020's were published in 2021.

Zoe Lihou has now been replaced by her former Junior Constable Diane Mitchell. 

Ms Mitchell confirmed to Express earlier this week that the matter is now in hand, with Lince Salisbury appointed to finalise the parish accounts. 

"The accounts are with a firm of accountants and auditors previously commissioned by the Parish in 2020, Lince Salisbury, who are working as quickly as they can to complete their work," she explained.

"These will then be published to the Parish at the Parish meeting on 6 November, the web site and any other associated outlets if we are in a position to do so as there is a lot of work to do during the next couple of months.

"As there is clearly a great deal to accomplish moving forwards I have asked the Dean, Vice Dean and Douzeniers to engage with various tasks so that the Parish runs smoothly.

"The office team and Grounds team have supported Parishioners well in the background and have been commended for their work.

"I would like to reassure the Parish that the team is working seamlessly to ensure that Parishioners needs are met during this time of change."

READ MORE...

St Peter Port's accounts challenge

 

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