HMRC concedes charges for local authority sports facilities are a non-business activity

Dear Members

HMRC conceded last week that charges for local authority sports facilities are a non-business activity and outside the scope of VAT.  Affected councils may be able to reclaim additional VAT relating to the last 4 years.

The Government increased the £25,000 threshold for Contracts Finder to £30,000 from 21 December 2022.  This puts us back to the position where it is effectively contracts over £25,000 plus VAT (rather than £25,000 including VAT) that are advertised.

Please find attached a useful newsletter from our HR member support provide – do you know who your employees are?  Also the Local Government Bulletin reminding us about VOTER ID and the GREEN FRAMEWORK

Buckinghamshire residents can use prototype software to check if they need planning permission using an online tool on the Council’s website. Buckinghamshire residents can also apply online for a lawful development certificate – which certifies works they’re undertaking don’t need planning permission or to certify that past works are lawful.

Free January has been tremendously successful and we have seen both  familiar and new faces attending these short and helpful training bites.  We have now been working on our training schedule for the next 14 months, as well as our seminar days, two larger Council events, Conference 2023, Clerks Coffee and Connections, the AGM and the 75^th Birthday Celebration.  Tiring just planning it!

Next week we host our training for our first cohort on Local Council Internal Auditors.  There is a shortage of competent internal auditors in our sector and consequently, some councils may not have kept up as rigorously a regime as should do, this will help.  The challenge is not limited to Buckinghamshire and our neighbours complain of a shortage of IA’s too.  I’m pleased to welcome a candidate from Hertfordshire and hope that this will be an opportunity to further share cross border knowledge and training support.

We wish you a restful weekend and look forward to speaking with you soon…

Kind regards

Mel, Helen and Lorraine