A Fixed Asset Register has four main purposes:
- It forms a basis for completion of box 9 in the ‘Annual Return.’
- It forms a basis for decisions on risk and insurance issues.
- It provides information on the age and potential lifespan of certain items.
- It provides assurance of the continued existence of Council’s property.
The Register is adopted by the Council at the end of each Municipal Year but is a working document over the following Municipal Year, during which Council Officers will update and amend details as necessary.
The values indicated in the asset register will inform the ‘total fixed assets’ section of the Annual Return with the exception of assets held on trust.
Once recorded on the asset register, the value of assets must not change from year to year until disposal. Concepts of depreciation and impairment adjustments are not appropriate for local councils (Governance and Accountability for Local Councils: A Practitioner’s Guide (England) 2014, para. 3.69).