WINSFORD Town Council has been commended by external auditors for keeping excellent records.

The annual governance and accountability return, together with supporting documents, was sent to the council's external auditors PKF Littlejohn.

A glowing report has just been received.

Town clerk and finance officer Mark Bailey told councillors at a meeting on Monday: "You will be pleased to learn that we have received a clean bill of health from the external auditors.

"No issues were raised by them at all with regards to our accounts and our ways of working."

The council is now preparing the annual budget for 2021/22 which will allocate financial resources to each of the council's different services and activities.

Other costs including staff and materials will also be included.

Plans to formulate next year's income and expenditure have been set out.

A budget seminar involving all councillors will be held on November 29. This will review the previous year's budget and offer proposals for amending different areas of next year's spending.

Councillors will agree a budget timetable in December and discuss an inflation element on which a draft budget can be based.

A draft budget will be issued on December 22.

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Discussions will then be held by the different political groups to establish revenue and capital budget options and priorities.

The finance and general purposes committee will agree a final budget on January 11.

A draft budget will be considered by the Town Council on January 17 when a precept will be set.

Councillors will submit their request for a precept to Cheshire West and Chester Council at the end of January.

The Town Council will formally approve the 2021/22 budget on February 21.