The Annual Report of Hereford City
Council, for the year ended 31st March 2006 is issued to provide
details of its activities during the year 2005-2006.
The Financial information has, from 1st
April 2000, been produced using the Intuit system
known
as QuickBooks. QuickBooks comprises a complete system including Payroll,
Stock
and Time recording.
District Audit audited the Council’s accounts
annually until 2000-2001. With effect
from 1st
April 2002 the Audit Commission has introduced a new ‘lighter touch’ audit
regime for local councils. This has affected
the accounts from the year 2001-2002. The Audit Commission appointed the firm
Winross Hacker Young, from Birmingham, to be the auditors for Hereford city
Council. This basic audit will be carried out under a fixed fee of £1,250 plus
VAT, with additional rates charged for ‘extra work’. The rights of local
electors are not affected and the public continue to have the right to inspect
the accounts and question the auditor.
A
notice to this effect is posted on the Town Hall notice board each year prior
to the time of Audit.
Report
by Madam Mayor – Marcelle Lloyd-Hayes
Report by Town Clerk – M D Fellows
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Councillors 2005-2006 Ward |
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Members of Hereford City Council
give their time freely and receive no allowances or payments for their services
to the City during the financial year.
HEREFORD CITY COUNCIL COST HEADS
Civic/Ceremonial
Hereford City Council owns the
ancient civic property of the City, comprising swords, maces, charters, chains
of office, silver etc., The collection is of considerable value and historic
importance.
The Mayoralty
of Hereford is one of the oldest in Britain and dates back to 1382, before
which sheriffs and bailiffs fulfilled the role. The first Charter dates back to
1189.
This cost head includes such
traditional function costs as
The Three Choirs Festival
2006 was the ‘host year’ for
Hereford City. The City Council give receptions to artists and officials
throughout the week in addition to hosting a reception for the three choruses
at the end of the week. Additionally in 2006 the City Council sponsored the
free lunch time concerts around the ‘Elgar Statue’ in the Cathedral Close. A
reserve, set aside and built up over the preceding years, is used to meet the increased expenditure,
which reduced the cost impact in the year.
Freedom Ceremonies
There were
no ‘Freedoms’ granted this year. A reserve now exists to fund one ceremony if a
suitable candidate is proposed by the Council.
Twinning -Expenses of Members
The Mayor is occasionally invited to
represent the City in our Twin Towns of Vierzon and Dillenberg. This past year
the Mayor visited both and has received both Twin Town Mayors as visitors
during the year.
A reserve is also kept for 'Twinning' costs in case major twinning
celebrations occur in future years.
Other funded events etc.,
During the year the Mayor welcomes
visitors from all over the world in addition to the many local visitors. A
budget is used to fund any Official visits and Public Ceremonies that may take
place during the year. In addition the Mayor and deputy Mayor have a budget
from which to fund the expenses of their very busy year.
A reserve also exists for Special
Hereford Projects; This reserve holds 20% of its total specifically for
‘Youth’ projects.
Municipal Elections
The May 2003 elections, for which a
reserve of £20,000 had been built up, cost the Council £33,000(38% of total
cost); This was an unexpected cost (since the May 2000 elections had cost the
Council £17,000{50% of total cost}). A full investigation resulted in a
subsequent adjustment of the Council’s funds and future budget. The reserve for
the 2007 elections is expected to stand at £53,600. Postal voting is more
expensive than the traditional method but does increase the number of votes
cast.
The Wards of Hereford City Parish are as follows:
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Ward |
Ward
letters |
Number of
Electors |
Sub-totals |
Grand
total |
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Aylestone |
- HAA |
1,458 |
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- HAB |
1,017 |
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- HAC |
1,356 |
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- HAD |
941 |
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4,772 |
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Belmont |
- HCB |
1,800 |
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- HCC |
1,084 |
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- HCD |
1,191 |
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4,075 |
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Central |
- HIA |
1,075 |
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- HIB |
654 |
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- HIC |
255 |
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1,984 |
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St
Martins & Hinton |
-HFFA |
1,004 |
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-HFFB |
970 |
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-HFFC |
1,642 |
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-HFFD |
772 |
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-HFFE |
1,208 |
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-HFFF |
1,035 |
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6,631 |
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St
Nicholas |
-HGGA |
1,394 |
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-HGGB |
1,310 |
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-HGGC |
789 |
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-HGGD |
1,404 |
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4,897 |
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Three
Elms |
-HJJA |
1,715 |
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-HJJB |
2,055 |
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-HJJC |
1,039 |
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-HJJD |
1,885 |
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-HJJE |
1,147 |
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7,841 |
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Tupsley |
-HKKA |
1,745 |
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-HKKB |
1,582 |
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-HKKC |
2,369 |
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-HKKD |
1,416 |
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7,112 |
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37,312 |
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