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0 votes
The budget working group met, 6 members of the council out of 9. Another member of the council turned down the opportunity. Meeting as a working group means we meet on a zoom meeting as that way the clerk could share his screen so we can see the effect on the spreadsheet when we suggest changes. All 6 agreed with the budget proposal. However when it was circulated the councillor who had refused to join the group persuaded a member of the working group that the budget wouldn't work so it was not accepted. Precept setting was delayed to the next meeting and the only worked draft budget available was the original. The basic spreadsheet had been shared so that anyone produce their own draft budget. Noone did, Our locum clerk had said previously that we can agree setting the precept without having an agreed budget. One councillor was absent and one councillor had changed his mind so the precept was set without any budget figures. Even now, a month on there is no agreed budget for next year. I don't know how are locum RFO will be able to produce accounts without budget headings. Anyway is it true you can just set a precept without a budget?
by (420 points)

2 Answers

0 votes
You should be setting your budget to work out how much precept you require, but Councils have a deadline in which to submit their precept request so that is why your locum clerk probably said you could agree on a precept amount.  It is strongly advisable to set a budget especially as the financial year is about to finish.  Your locum clerk can do the annual accounts becasue they will be working on the budget set last year, your current budget will come into effect on the 1st April.
by (3.8k points)
I agree that there should be a worked budget. The budget here has risen from £17k 10 years ago to £64k due to a Village Green and sports ground being built. The current reserve is over £80k which is why a planned budget cut was put forward but unfortunately was rejected. The councillors that rejected the draft have not produced any budget proposal and seem ignorant of the need to do so. And yes it will cause problems when April comes. I think they are just hoping that we will all not stand next time.
+2 votes

The answer is clearly YES if as here the council have no concept of what a budget is and how the the precept should be arrived at from the budget.wink

by (28.8k points)
As I see things the sum of ll the various agreed "budgets" should led you to cash needed to fulfil those viz the precept.  What happens in my Council is that they set the precept and make the budgets fit.   Our course it is the flexibility of reserves that enables you to do this particularly general reserves.  Its a scandal
Not just a scandal but a total failure by a council on so many fronts
The problem is that neither national government or the DCs have or want any input into local government and you get what you pay for.   Who can blame PCs for exploiting such huge loopholes in procedure.  Essentially those so minded have unfettered access to  unmonitored spending

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