You have certain legal rights which allow you to inspect our accounts. If you are entitled to vote in local elections for members of Cambridge City Council you can also:

• ask the external auditor questions about the accounts
• challenge the accounts

Inspect the accounts

When we have finalised the accounts for the previous financial year, usually towards the end of May, we advertise that they are available for electors to look at. This advertisement, the notice of public rights, is placed on this website.

This notice gives details of the period during which you may look at the accounts and supporting documentation. This period will include the first two weeks in June.

You can download the statement of accounts or ask us for a copy. You can also obtain copies of any relevant documents, although there may be a copying charge.

Question the auditor

You can ask our external auditor questions about the accounts for the year that they are auditing. However, the auditor does not have to answer questions about anything that is not relevant to the accounts.

The notice of public rights explains how you can do this.

Challenge the accounts

If you think we have spent money unlawfully you can object to the accounts by sending the auditor a formal written notice of objection.

You may also object if you think that there is something in the accounts that the auditor should formally tell the public in a public interest report.

The notice of public rights gives details of who you should send your objection to.

Further information

If you need more detail you should refer to the National Audit Office Guide.

As well as describing your rights in relation to the statement of accounts it also explains the rights you have at other times to give the auditor information.