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Friday 30th July 2010
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You are here: Homepage >> The Town Council >> Funding & Accounts
All Council Tax paid by households (not businesses) include the normal County/District Council & police costs to cover annual budgets and in cases where a Town Council exists, all households within The Town Council boundaries will have an additional cost per household in respect of The Town Council although this is still collected by the County/District Council on their behalf.
In the case of Bradley Stoke Town Council, South Gloucestershire Council (as the Unitary Authority) is responsible for collecting the council tax and the charge on households within Bradley Stoke will include an amount in respect of Bradley Stoke Town Council. This amount is collected with the Council Tax and then paid by South Gloucestershire County Council to Bradley Stoke Town Council in 2 instalments payable in April and September of each year.
Many people are not aware that The Town Council does not receive any revenue support from central government, unlike the County and District Councils; neither does it receive any funding from local businesses and retailers within the town boundary via their payment of the non-domestic rate.
Each year, The Town Council calculates the amount of money needed to provide it's services and then calculates and deducts the income which it expects to receive from other sources such as bank interest, grants, fees and hire charges in respect of sports facilities and room lettings of the various Activity Centres etc. This provides a calculated expenditure shortfall showing the estimated revenue required in order to provide the services and any capital projects which are planned for Bradley Stoke for the year ahead.
This shortfall is called the PRECEPT and is funded by local residents living within Bradley stoke and is the amount levied on South Gloucestershire Council, which is then collected by them as a proportion of the total Council Tax paid by Bradley Stoke households. Bradley Stoke Town Council's main income is therefore provided by the residents of Bradley Stoke alone.
In the financial year commencing 1st April:
The 2005/6 precept raised £649,892, with the individual Band D household precept set at £97.00.
The 2006/7 precept raised £695,844, with the individual Band D household precept set at £102.00.
The 2007/8 precept raised £734,769, with the individual Band D household precept set at £107.00.
The 2008/9 precept raised £768,904, with the individual Band D household precept set at £111.50.
The 2009/10 precept raised £775,260, with the individual Band D household precept set at £111.50.
The 2010/11 precept will raise £789,733 with individual Band D household precept set at £113.50
Click here to view these figures on a graph...
The auditors failed to provide the final audit opinion within the required timescale although this was not due to a problem with the accounts and notices were issued. The auditors signed off the 2008/9 audit with only a minor comment and this was received by Council on 18th November 2009.
The comment referred to the notice issued concerning 'The Proper Exercise of Electors Rights'. It was noted that the notice was dated 19th June 2009 with the inspection period commencing on 25th June 2009, giving residents 6 days notice prior to the inspection period instead of the required 14 days . This will be checked for the future, however Council do publish the pre-audit Annual Return and other associated documentation on it's website so that the public have greater access to the information during and beyond this period.
Other matters not affecting the auditor's opinion covered Operational and Financial Risk. Council already adhere to very strict procedures within these sectors which were covered within the internal audit and Councillors also visited the office to report on these matters and all parties were satisfied with the procedures in place. The office has collated all financial risk procedures for the 2009/10 audit so that the auditors will have a very clear picture of the up to date position.
Rachel Pullen
Financial Officer.
