The Parish Countil - Precept & Budget

Each year the Parish Council asks for a sum of money, called a ‘precept’, which is collected through your Council Tax. The Parish Council can also apply for grants or loans and can receive money from rents or leases at the Austrey Playing Fields.  This money is used by to improve facilities and services for local people and run the Council.

Your Council Tax covers the cost of services at several different levels:

• The County (WCC) – who have wide ranging responsibilities such as to maintain local roads, provide schools and social service.
• The Police force – at County level but financed separately.
• The Borough (NWBC)– provide refuse collection, maintain the village environment, provide leisure services, social housing etc.
• The Parish Council – who provide a wide range of village amenities – hanging baskets & tubs, Christmas tree, dog bins and emptying, salt bins, mirrors, litter picking, bus shelter, and promoting development and amenities at the playing fields including the playground.   The Parish newsletter and the website are also funded by the precept.

The proportion of money going to each level varies widely.  For 2012/13 the total to be collected by NWBC is £4,490,961. On average across the whole region, WCC uses 73%, the police 11%, NWBC 13% and Parishes 3%.  

A breakdown of how Austrey Parish Council has used money from the precept can be seen by clicking on the Budget documents for each year which are published on this website.  Copies of the Parish Council's Annual Return of its Statement of Accounts, the Annual Accounts and the Auditors' Report thereon are available for inspection by any local government elector for the Parish at any time on application the Parish Clerk.  Copies of those documents will be provided on request for a reasonable copying cost.

View the budget:

• 2012-13 Budget
• 2011-12 Budget