Local Authority Accounting Methods Volume 2 (RLE Accounting)

Problems and Solutions, 1909-1934

Hugh Coombs, J. R. Edwards, Hugh Coombs, J. Edwards

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Year: 2014
• eBook ISBN: 9781134679935
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Accounting
• Index: Business

The book contains a collection of papers dealing with a range of controversial accounting issues which exercised the minds of local authority officials during the period 1909-1934 and the "solutions" embodied in the Accounts (Boroughs and Metropolitan Boroughs) Regulations 1930. The contributors to the debate were mainly local government officials and the items reproduced cover a wide range of matters such as the content of the abstract accounts; the need for standardization and an illuminating comparison of the nature and contents of municipal accounts with those of limited companies. A number of issues which received close attention from the literature during the early part of the present century were related to the growth of municipal trading undertakings (water, gas, tramways and electricity). The pricing of these services was a matter of considerable debate; questions included whether these services should be priced to generate a profit, break-even or receive a subsidy from the rates. The depreciation question and the related issues of loan periods and the need for a sinking fund receive some attention as do the growing concern of municipal debt.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Original Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• 1. “Municipal Finance, with Special Reference to the Provision and Application of Sinking and Depreciation Funds,”
• 2. “Tramway Finances and Policy,”
• 3. “Income Tax as Affecting Local Authorities,”
• 4. “The Limitation and Application of Profits from Municipal Undertakings,”
• 5. “Some Features of Local Authorities’ Finance,”
• 6. “Municipal Debt,”
• 7. “The Apportionment of the Central Establishment Expenses of Local Authorities,”
• 8. “Tramway Finances,”
• 9. “City of Coventry Tramways Department, Report of General Manager and Professional Auditor as to Making Provision in the Accounts for Renewals, and other Question of Financial Policy,”
• 10. “lncome Tax. Official Allowances in Respect of Depreciation of Machinery and Plant,”
• 11. “Application of Electricity Revenue,”
• 12. “The Profits of Municipal Trading Departments,”
• 13. “Observations on the Transfer of Undertakings to Public Authorities,”
• 14. “The Progress of Ideas in Municipal Accountancy,”
• 15. “The Published Accounts of a Municipality,”
• 16. “Income Tax in Relation to the Accounts of Local Authorities,”
• 17. “Electricity Accounts of Local Authorities and Costs in Connection with the Same,”
• 18. “The Redemption of Loans (including its relation to Depreciation Fund),”
• 19. “Tramway Accounts and Costs,”
• 20. “Abstracts of Accounts,”
• 21. “A ‘Real’ Consolidated Loans Fund,”
• 22. “Costing and Allocation of Central Establishment Charges,”
• 23. “A Comparison of Commercial Accounts with Municipal Accounts,”
• 24. “Electricity Accounts and Costing,”
• 25. “The Accounts of Municipal Undertakings,”
• 26. “Standardisation of Abstracts of Accounts,”
• 27. “Cost Accounts as Applied to Municipalities,”
• 28. “Memorandum to Accompany the Accounts (Boroughs and Metropolitan Boroughs) Regulations, 1930,”
• 29. “Borough Accounts,”
• 30. “Costing,”
• 31. “Accounts of Local Authorities,”