Digitisation of AGAR Project, SAAA Updates and Training Session
The system will be live trialled for submission of the 2025-2026 AGAR in May and June 2026 with around 100 councils and other Category 2 authorities included in the trial.
We are looking to bring a number of other authorities to the system in the Autumn of 2026, following their normal AGAR submission in Spring 2026. This will allow them to become familiar with the system and populate the database with their 2025-2026 figures in advance of the following year's submission. It is planned that the system will be available to all parish and town councils in 2027 for the submission of the 2026-2027 AGAR.
We are delighted to be offering a training session with Lance Allen from SAAA. This session will give you an opportunity to find out about accessing the new system and will tell you what you will need to do in 2027 to submit your council's AGAR using the new system.
Lance Allan joined SAAA as a consultant in September 2025 working as User Acceptance & Testing Project Manager, responsible for delivering the Making AGAR Digital Project to around 10,000 Category 2 Smaller Authorities. Lance has 35 years of experience in the sector as a parish councillor, chair of a county association and town clerk at Trowbridge in Wiltshire from 2005 to 2025.
The FREE session will be held online on Tuesday 10th November 2026 from 12:00-13:00
Click here to book
SAAA spam email concerns
Following some recent concerns over spam emails and authenticity of emails from SAAA we would like to share the following.
NALC recently shared - The Smaller Authorities' Audit Appointments (SAAA) has recently launched a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system as part of their preparations for the transition to the digital Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR). Parish and town councils are advised that emails now being issued from the new system are genuine and contain important information about the transition. Please check junk or spam folders and add SAAA to your safe senders list to ensure you continue receiving updates, guidance and invitations about the digital AGAR programme.
Starting from April 2027, Smaller Authorities will be able to submit their AGAR data electronically via a digital portal. All Smaller Authorities are strongly encouraged to utilise this portal once it becomes operational. Comprehensive training and support will be provided to facilitate the use of the portal, as electronic submission will become mandatory under Proper Practices by 2028/2029.
SAAA have also shared the following - We understand that some County Associations have recently been contacted by local councils querying the authenticity of an email sent by SAAA regarding the forthcoming Digital AGAR Portal.
The email in question is genuine and was sent by SAAA as part of our preparations for the introduction of the new portal. As part of this process, we are asking authorities to confirm their contact details, including email addresses and key contacts, to ensure that portal registration and sign-up information is accurate. Later this year, we will also provide small authorities with further information about free portal training offered by our member bodies, NALC, SLCC and ADA.
The FREE session will be held online on Tuesday 10th November 2026 from 12:00-13:00
Click here to book
SAAA spam email concerns
Following some recent concerns over spam emails and authenticity of emails from SAAA we would like to share the following.
NALC recently shared - The Smaller Authorities' Audit Appointments (SAAA) has recently launched a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system as part of their preparations for the transition to the digital Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR). Parish and town councils are advised that emails now being issued from the new system are genuine and contain important information about the transition. Please check junk or spam folders and add SAAA to your safe senders list to ensure you continue receiving updates, guidance and invitations about the digital AGAR programme.
Starting from April 2027, Smaller Authorities will be able to submit their AGAR data electronically via a digital portal. All Smaller Authorities are strongly encouraged to utilise this portal once it becomes operational. Comprehensive training and support will be provided to facilitate the use of the portal, as electronic submission will become mandatory under Proper Practices by 2028/2029.
SAAA have also shared the following - We understand that some County Associations have recently been contacted by local councils querying the authenticity of an email sent by SAAA regarding the forthcoming Digital AGAR Portal.
The email in question is genuine and was sent by SAAA as part of our preparations for the introduction of the new portal. As part of this process, we are asking authorities to confirm their contact details, including email addresses and key contacts, to ensure that portal registration and sign-up information is accurate. Later this year, we will also provide small authorities with further information about free portal training offered by our member bodies, NALC, SLCC and ADA.