The finance committee looks at allocating the funds available to the parish. We consider the merit and cost-effectiveness of different projects and proposals, including those mooted by other committees. We propose, monitor and implement a financial plan for the parish to ensure a sustainable future for community services.
The committee is also responsible for creating and amending policies and any staffing or HR matters.
We actively seek to control or reduce costs for our community whilst offering a continued high level of service.
The Parish Council continues to maintain a number of public areas within the villages of Hodson, Chiseldon, Badbury and Draycott Foliat to a high standard, tailoring services to where they are most needed. This maintenance includes grass cutting of public areas; the supply, maintenance and emptying of rubbish and dog waste bins; litter picking; clearing of fly tipping; specific areas of hedge cutting; some pavement maintenance and tree work under certain circumstances.
In addition, based on residents feedback, a number of improvements have been made to the recreation fields to improve drainage to allow play during the winter months, a project will shortly be undertaken to increase parking at the recreation fields and improve the facilities there. The council is also working to put together a fund to replace the recreation hall with a more inclusive asset as well as working to improve the facilities at the allotments. Further, parking pinch-points have been identified within the Parish, and the council is working with the Borough Council to alleviate these problems by increasing the available space allocated to car parking. A project is underway to understand the issues on Norris Close and other areas in the parish such as Castle View Road will follow. The council is also responding to feedback from parishioners regarding speeding through the villages, and the council will trial interactive speed signs, beginning with Hodson Road in the coming months.
The council is pleased to announce that the precept for the 2020-2021 municipal year will remain static at £139,000. Due to the way that council tax is calculated, the “average” Band D property should see a small decrease in the amount due to the parish from £141.09 to £139.94.
The council has been carrying larger than anticipated reserves and has decided to use a small amount to fund the annual precept to keep it level with last year. The Tax Base (number of Band D equivalent) properties in the area increased from 985.2 to 993.3, hence the small decrease in the amount that will be shown on April’s council tax notices.
The Parish is responsible for a number of services in the local area such as graveyards, allotments, maintenance of public areas (hedge cutting, grass cutting etc), litter-picking, the recreation ground, recreation hall and defibrillators among other things.
The Parish Precept forms a part of the overall council tax demand from Swindon Borough Council; other items include the Borough Council’s requirements and precepts from Wiltshire Police and the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service. The final annual council tax bill is usually set in early to mid-March when SBC finalise their budget with council tax demands being sent mid to late-March ready for the start of the municipal year on 1st April.
If you have any questions relating to the precept or the services that the Parish Council provides in the community, please contact the Parish Clerk via clerk@chiseldon-pc.gov.uk