Council Budget
Local Councils vary in size. Some represent a few hundred people, others represent communities of over 30,000 people. Budget and staffing levels are proportionate to the size of the community and number of residential properties being served.
Holmes Chapel Parish Council can only spend, raise or use money if it has a statutory power to do so. It has a wide range of powers under different acts of Parliament, most of which are discretionary. The exercise of these powers may depend on other bodies, for example, the owner of land or another public body such as the highways authority. Almost all the powers of Holmes Chapel Parish Council may be exercised by either the Parish Council or the Borough Council.
Holmes Chapel Parish Council raises money by precept (a mandatory demand) on Cheshire East Council. The precept required is then collected by the Borough Council as part of the Council Tax levied on tax payers in the parish.
Holmes Chapel Parish Council has to prepare a budget in January each year for the ensuing financial year which runs from 1 April to 31 March.
The budget fixed in January 2011 for the year 2011 /12 is summarised on the right. A full outline of the budget can be downloaded here.
Report on the 2011/ 12 Budget
The decision on a budget for the current financial year took place in January 2011 and it was decided that the Council should increase its precept by 3.9%. As a result of the financial situation, it was held last year, nothwithstanding psositive inflation. If the Council is to continue to provide schemes and improvements and, possibly, cover services transferred from CEC, it needs to maintain the spending power of the precept.
The budget fixed in January 2011 for the year 2011/12 is summarised on the right. A full outline of the budget can be downloaded here.
A copy of the Council's five year plan, which has now been updated can be downloaded here.