Web Editor’s Note : For those that don’t know……
AGAR stands for Annual Governance and Accountability Return. It is a key document used by parish and town councils (and other smaller authorities in England) to report their financial position and governance arrangements at the end of each financial year.
What Does AGAR Include?
The AGAR consists of several sections:
- Annual Governance Statement – Confirms that the council has followed proper practices in terms of governance, risk management, and internal control.
- Accounting Statements – A summary of the council’s income, expenditure, assets, and liabilities.
- Internal Audit Report – Completed by an independent internal auditor to confirm checks on financial controls and processes.
- Certificate of Exemption (if applicable) – Smaller councils with gross income/expenditure below £25,000 may be exempt from a full external audit and submit this certificate instead.
- External Auditor Report and Certificate – If not exempt, this is completed by the external auditor after their review.
