Financials, Policies and Governance

The funding for the Parish Council is allocated by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and is taken from the council tax- this is called the Annual Precept.

The income and expenditure for the next financial year are calculated in the form of estimates and this is added to the local council tax and paid to the parish in two instalments.

Parish Councils are also eligible to seek UK grants and funding and EU money as is appropriate.

The money is to fund the spending on the Parish Council on local amenities and activities without having to seek permission from any other authority.

All our Councillors are volunteers and receive no remuneration for their time or service.

By law any person interested has the right to inspect a parish councils accounts. If you are entitled and registered to vote in local council elections then you also have the right to ask the appointed auditor questions about the council’s accounts or object to an item of account within them.

The auditor does not have to answer questions about the council’s policies, finances, procedures or anything else not related to the accounts. Your question must be about the accounts for the financial year just ended. The auditor does not have to say whether they think something the council has done, or an item in its accounts, is lawful or reasonable.

Annual Return Information

Each year the Council’s annual return is audited by an external auditor appointed by the Audit Commission. Any local elector in the area of Checkley Parish has the opportunity to inspect and make copies of the Annual Return and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers and receipts etc. relating to them.