A six-week period has begun during which local residents, journalists and other interested persons have special access rights to information contained in Exeter City Council’s financial records after it published its unaudited accounts for the 2024-25 financial year.
During this period the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 and the Local Audit (Access to Documents) Act 2017 confer the right to examine and copy records related to the transactions recorded in the accounts.
Exeter City Council 2024-25 unaudited statement of accounts
After an eight-week delay in the publication of the accounts caused by an asset revaluation process, the inspection period began on 26 August.
As a result, the council must grant access to bills, invoices, receipts, deeds, property transactions, books and contracts related to the 2024-25 statement of accounts on request until 6 October, with some exceptions related to commercially-confidential or personally-identifying information.
Local electors possess the additional right to ask the council and its external auditor questions about the accounts, to raise objections about the accounts with the auditor and to request investigation of specific matters of concern during this period each year.
The National Audit Office publishes a guide to these rights.
The city council’s 2024-25 accounts and related documents are available for inspection at its Paris Street offices from 9am-2pm Monday to Friday and can also be requested electronically.
More details are provided in its Notice of Public Rights at Audit. Previous years’ accounts are also available on its website.
