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WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?
Three committees hold budgets - Green Spaces, Town Improvements and Policy & Finance, which includes the Administration budget. All spending is itemised and carefully monitored under individual headings. To see some of what Council provides see Council Services
WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM?
Dursley Town Council generates some revenue from the facilities it offers, and this covers part of its spending. See fees and charges. Council also applies for external funding wherever possible. eg bus shelter grants. The remainder of its expenditure is financed by part of the Council Tax collected from the residents of Dursley. For major projects, which cost a lot of money, Council plans in advance, and draws on savings - reserves - collected over several years, thereby ensuring that its share of the Council Tax remains as stable as possible from one year to the next.
WHO DOES THE ACCOUNTS?
The Town Clerk is the Responsible Financial Officer, in other words, Council's bookeeper and accountant.
At every meeting, Council is made aware of income and expenditure on a monthly basis, with each item allocated to the relevant committee and budget heading. Every 3 months, cummulative Management Accounts are presented to Council, which show how much has been spent against each budgeted item, and how much remains. At the end of the financial year, which runs from April 1st to March 31st, the Annual Management Accounts are prepared and submitted to Council.
WHO CHECKS THE ACCOUNTS?
You can! Members of the public are very welcome to vist Jacob's House to look at the accounts. To ensure that the Town Clerk is available to answer questions, please contact us beforehand. Alternatively, you can email with a specific question. In the interests of saving money, we would prefer to answer queries as they arise, rather than have them submitted to, and answered by, the External Auditor who charges Council an additional fee for contacting us to answer the query.
Every year, Council appoints an Independent Internal Auditor - somebody who is neither a councillor nor an employee. The Independent Auditor not only checks the Managment Accounts but also the financial procedures surrounding those accounts. Council pays for this service. The Independent Auditor is currently Mrs D Burrows. The External Auditor is not appointed by Council. The Independent Auditor's Report and specific documents as requested, are then submitted to the External Auditor for examination. Council pays for this service. The External Auditor is currently Moore Stephens.
Note that the formal Public Inspection period for the financial year 2009/10 runs until June 23rd, although members of the public are welcome to inspect the accounts at any time during the year.