Budget
Every financial year the Council creates a budget for that year’s spending. The budget is split into the following categories:
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Office | Clerk’s Salary & Pension Office Services (Electricity, Water, Phone, Alarm etc) Maintenance & Equipment |
| Administration | Postage & Stationary Reference Books & Training Meeting Room Hire Website Insurance |
| Subscriptions | Subscriptions to bodies that assist Parish Councils |
| Community | Grants Remembrance Day Wreath Grit Bins Library Grant |
| Environment | Street Lighting Waste/Litter/Dog Bin Collections Street Furniture Hedge & Grass Cutting & Maintenance Play Area Inspections & Maintenance |
| Neighbourhood Development Plan | Funding the creation of the NDP document |
| Contingency | An allowance for unforeseen spending |
The current allowances for each budget category are as follows:
| 2020/2021 | Budget Allocation |
|---|---|
| Office | £20,450 |
| Administration | £6,204 |
| Subscriptions | £1,141 |
| Community | £5,605 |
| Environment | £18,150 |
| Neighbourhood Development Plan | £5,000 |
| Contingency | £2,000 |
| £58,550 |
Funding
Funding for the budget comes from:
- Income from Council Charges
- Council Tax Parish Precept
- Unspent monies from the previous year’s budget
For 2020/2021 the Cold Ash Parish Council Precept is £42,500
Annual Return
Every year the Council’s finances are audited by our internal auditor and by a Government appointed external auditor. The Council’s annual returns are published here every year.
Community Infrastructure Levy
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a levy charged on most new development within an authority area. The money is used to pay for new infrastructure supporting the development of an area by funding the provision, replacement, operation or maintenance of infrastructure.
While most of the levy is allocated to West Berkshire Council a percentage is allocated to the Parish Council to spend in the Parish.
The Parish Council has to publish on its website how it spends this money and this information can be found below.