Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
Council tax
Disturbed at how much I am being charged by my parish council.
I looked at my local parish council web site to see just where all my money was being spent?
Their was hardly any information regarding money in, money out in the accounts section? Except for the hansom salary the Clark is receiving for 16 hours work £425.00
So of I went to Dover district council to see haw much they where collecting on behalf of my parish council in total?
Now!! You would think this would be a simple case of reception looking at the council tax accounts and giving me the information?
But no they say I have to submit a freedom of information request just to see what my parish council is receiving before they fritter it all away After mugging every house in the village
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Should be shown on your council tax bill Keith, normally broken down what proportion goes to KCC, Police, Fire and Rescue, Parish/Town council.
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
Howard is correct Keith. Your annual council tax bill gives a full breakdown of each precepting body that has a call on your Council tax. Probably available online if you can work the search programme.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
I do think that there are some parish councils and the town council being one of them that do not need the amount of funding they are getting but on the same hand there are some that could do with some more .but there are to many parish councils in East Kent and some need to be cut out and joined up with each other .This way a saving would be made but not a lot I feel.
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
Keith , Band D £79.77 per annum for Aylesham. I think that is where you live?
Online- go to Council Tax then Parishes. It's simple, don't need FOI.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
The District council is having its funding cut each year but that does not happen with parish councils all thy do is tell the district council what they need and they get it which I think is very unfair on the District council who then have to make more cuts to pay the parish what they are asking for. That makes the District council job even harder .But at this time they to are doing the best they can with what funds they are getting.
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
I did say the total they receive from all residents ?
Just wondering where it all goes and who to?
the parish web site is pitiful ,,It reminds me of Dover locals ,,lol,,
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
There is a new law/rule coming in soon forcing parish councils to publish full details of their activities on their websites.
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
They have to publish Annual Accounts Keith . That will give you income. Should be attached to Parish minutes. They are audited. Parish accounts are nothing to do with DDC. They are only required to collect the Parish precept.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Go to the next parish council meeting Keith and ask the parish clerk. If no joy go down the FOI route but address it to the parish council as DDC are probably not privy to the whole story. If you ask nicely you will probably get what you want, with any personal information redacted of course. Most councillors are pretty reasonable people in my experience.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
Yes I have sent a letter to day asking them to publish full accounts.
money in money out on the web site.
It says full accounts can be viewed on request but who wants to go in the office looking at parish record when in 2015 we should be able to see them all on line .
I am not suggesting anything is wrong, but would like to know haw the cash is spent? So I can give them a good moaning if they are wasting cash.
On the paper version on the parish board ,one entry says (club £500 ) ????
What club ? could be bridge county club for all we know
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
You will probably have to trawl through lots of minutes of council meetings to check that any expenditure has been properly approved. Those will also provide a clue as to what the brief descriptions in the accounts refer to. You should also check whether the parish clerk or committee chairmen have any discretion to pay out small amounts without full council authority, and if so, check that all such amounts, however small, have been reported to full council and minuted. Statements in the minutes such as 'the parish clerk reported sundry items of expenditure totalling £189' are unacceptable.
One disappointing thing about council minutes is that they never disclose which members voted which way. Unanimous decisions are usually described as such but if you want to know who to blame you have to be there at the meeting.
Welcome to the fascinating world of forensic accounting. I used to do some of that in my banking career.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Having been a parish cllr I can tell you that the councils are very open about the running and funding I was on four council at the same time but all of them had a open book nothing none under the table was done.