Financial Information
The Town Council's financial year begins on 1st April and ends
on 31st March.
Before the start of each financial year, the elected councillors
plan ahead and then (usually in January) agree a budget and set a
"precept" (the amount of money we need from the Council Tax). The
District Council then calculates the Council Tax charge for each property
"band" and collects it for us. This year (2017-18), our precept is
£229,674 and the annual charge to Council Tax on a Band D property is £149.45.
Copies of approved budgets can be viewed and downloaded by clicking on the
"Budget" option in the column to the left.
Through the year, our councillors approve every payment we make
and compare actual expenditure against the budget as planned. Full lists of
approved payments can be found with the minutes of the meetings of the Town
Council and the Finance & Personnel Committee. Cashbook balances, bank
reconciliation statements (if required) and budget comparisons for each
completed financial quarter are included in the relevant minutes of the Finance
& Personnel Committee.
Sometimes, we enter into "major contracts". Details of
any such contracts can be found by clicking on the "Major Contracts"
option in the column to the left. Before making any decision to buy goods or services,
we follow a suitable procurement procedure in accordance with our
Financial Regulations. The more money involved, the more intricate the process.
Larger decisions are always made by elected councillors at an appropriate
public meeting. Details of the successful bid are included in the
relevant minutes but details of under-bids are not (because this might
discourage bidding for contracts with us and that would not be in the public
interest).
After the end of each financial year, the councillors approve
our Annual Accounts (usually in June), copies of which can be found
by clicking on the "Accounts" option.
Finally, our accounts have to be audited using a standard form
set down by central government called an Annual Return. Again, copies of
these can be found by choosing the "Annual Returns" option.
(Please note: each of these is published in two stages or versions;
first as an "unaudited" form once the councillors have
approved it, typically in June, and then as a "final" version once
the audit process has been completed in or about September.)
Further
information may be available by request from the Council Office. A charge may
be made if providing the information would require significant time and
trouble. A small proportion of our financial information is confidential and
will not normally be provided (e.g. how much individual members of staff are
paid).