Setting The New Budget & Precept

Our Parish Clerk presented the budget at the Parish  Council meeting on 15th January and described a serious financial situation largely due to the grant of £2,900 paid to the village hall committee for the repair to the village hall ceiling, the cost of the election in May of £1258 and the necessity to fell the Lime tree on professional advice for public safety reasons at a cost of £540. Cllr Sharpe had been in discussion with the village hall committee as the situation presented a high risk of insolvency.  The village hall committee had not been aware of the impact on Parish Council funds when they accepted the grant and they agreed to pay back half the grant to support the Parish Council finances.  This is an excellent illustration of two community groups working together and is a selfless and philanthropic act by committee members.   The Parish Council really appreciate this financial support, as without it, there would have been a necessity to increase the precept even more. There will be an election in May this coming year. Whilst it is absolutely the democratic right of our parishioners to request elections whenever there is a vacancy on the Parish Council, this needs to be balanced and understood in the context that the cost has an impact on all our householders through subsequent and necessary precept rises to pay for it.
See here for the full Statement from the Clerk.