Your Council

Town & Parish Councils are the lowest tier of government in this country and do not receive any direct funding from central government. The Parish Council receives the majority of its funding by issuing a Precept each year which is collected by the Principal Authority (North Somerset Council) through the Annual Council Tax.

The Precept is the annual amount of money the Parish Council needs to fulfill its services (playgrounds, open land, closed churchyard, allotments and maintenance of council owned property etc.) and is the difference between money it receives (income from charges and lettings etc.) and its expenditure (staff costs, grants and maintenance of infrastructure etc.). Each Autumn the Parish Council prepares a Budget for the forthcoming fiscal year. In December the Council formally agrees the Precept, based on the Budget, for the next fiscal year and will ask the Principal Authority to collect it. Details of the Council's Precept may be found on your Council Tax Demand.

All Council meetings are open to the public and press although, very occasionally, it may be necessary to exclude the public and press from part or all of the meeting due to the confidential nature of the business to be transacted or for other special reasons.

There is a public participation session at the start of every meeting which usually lasts for a maximum of 15 minutes although this can be extended at the discretion of the Chairman. During this public participation session: