The Parish Council is funded primarily through the parish precept, collected annually alongside Council Tax. The precept is supplemented by council reserves where appropriate. Each year, the Council sets the precept—this is the portion of Council Tax that goes directly to supporting parish services.

Budget Setting and Precept Calculation

All parish councils have a legal duty to prepare an annual budget. This process:

• Determines the precept for the coming financial year
• Gives the Clerk authority to make spending commitments in line with council decisions
• Allows councillors to monitor progress by comparing actual spending with planned spending throughout the year

Preparing and approving a budget is one of the Council’s most important responsibilities. A precept cannot legally be set without an approved budget.

The precept itself is a balancing figure—known in legislation as the council tax requirement—calculated after considering expected expenditure, anticipated income, and any planned transfers to or from reserves.

Each November/December, councillors consider a draft budget which includes projected expenditure, expected income, and a recommended precept level for the following year.

Throughout the year, councillors receive budget monitoring reports at least quarterly, enabling them to track income and expenditure against the approved budget and ensure the Council remains on course financially.

The Parish Clerk as the Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) manages all financial activity recording receipts and payments, reconciling transactions with monthly bank statements, and ensuring accurate, transparent financial reporting. Councillors review spending at every council meeting, monitoring it against the approved budget. Key figures and decisions are recorded in the minutes.