About
The Joint Panel on Accountability and Governance (JPAG) is responsible for issuing proper practices about the governance and accounts of smaller authorities. Its membership consists of sector representatives from the National Association of Local Councils, the Society of Local Council Clerks and the Association of Drainage Authorities. Together with stakeholder partners representing the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, the National Audit Office, and a representative of the external audit firms appointed to smaller authorities. NALC provides the secretariat to the JPAG.
Members
JPAG’s members are as follows:
- Derek Kemp, National Association of Local Councils (chair)
- Phil Camamile, Water Management Alliance
- Alan Mellor, Society of Local Council Clerks
- Karen Daft, Association of Drainage Authorities
- Matthew Hemsley, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
- Paul Lambert, Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Laura Deery, Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
- Andrew Kendrick, National Audit Office
- Carolyn Rossiter, Smaller Authorities’ Auditors Group
- Mike Attenborough-Cox, Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments Ltd (independent member)
- Ja’Neen Day, Warwickshire and West Midlands Association of Local Councils
Meetings
4 September 2023:
10 October 2023:
28 November 2023:
Practitioners' Guide 2024
The 2024 edition of the guide applies to Annual Governance and Accountability Returns regarding financial years commencing on or after 1 April 2024. It strongly encourages local (parish and town) councils to use gov.uk domains for websites and emails and recommends that local councils publish their full internal audit report on their website alongside the AGAR.
See Practitioners' Guide changes
Practitioners' Guide 2023
The 2023 edition of the guide has minor updates and applies to Annual Governance and Accountability Returns regarding financial years commencing on or after 1 April 2023.
Read the Practitioners' Guide 2023
See Practitioners' Guide changes
Contact
Please complete the form for all comments or questions about the current Practioners’ Guide. All other queries should be sent to .