Statutory Notice – Public Inspection of the Accounts 2025/26
Audit of Accounts ended 31 March 2026
Notice is hereby given that the accounts of the Council for the year ended 31 March 2026 are available for public inspection.
Each year the Council’s Statement of Accounts are audited and any interested persons and journalists, under section 26 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/contents), may:
- 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; and
- make copies of all or any part of those records or documents.
Note that section 26 contains prohibitions on inspecting any part of a record or document containing information that is protected on the grounds of commercial confidentiality or that contains personal information.
The relevant statutory framework for the inspection of accounts and the exercise of public rights is set out in the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, as amended, including by the Accounts and Audit (Amendment) Regulations 2024. Links to the relevant legislation are provided below.
Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/234/contents
Accounts and Audit (Amendment) Regulations 2024: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/907/contents
For the year ended 31 March 2026 we will endeavour to supply all information electronically for inspection. Should a person be unable to access documents electronically, provision will be made for inspection at the Council Offices, Vicarage Lane, Hailsham from 9.00am to 4.30pm on weekdays between 1 July 2026 and 11 August 2026 inclusive. Please contact Laurence Woolven by email: laurence.woolven@wealden.gov.uk to make an appointment. Any inspection at the Council Offices will be arranged by appointment and will be subject to any site access or visitor requirements in place at the time.
A person may also receive copies of the accounts and documents, although multiple copies will be charged for.
The draft Statement of Accounts is subject to audit and is available to view or download in the section above.
Local Government Electors and their representatives also have:
(i) the opportunity to question the auditor about the accounting records, who may be contacted between 1 July 2026 and 11 August 2026 inclusive (see contact email address below).
(ii) the right to make objections to the accounts or any items in them during the period 1 July 2026 to 11 August 2026 inclusive. Written notice of an objection must first be given to the auditor and a copy sent to the Council.
The audit is being carried out by Ade Oyerinde, Grant Thornton UK LLP, 8 Finsbury Circus, London, EC2M 7EA. Questions for the auditor should be directed to the Audit Senior Manager, Raymund L Daganio, by email at Raymund.L.Daganio@uk.gt.com. The audit is being conducted in accordance with the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, as amended.
Laurence Woolven
Chief Financial Officer
June 2026