Your Parish Council budget: what it means for households
At a glance
Why has the precept increased this year?
The increase reflects a combination of core cost pressures, increased staff capacity, and ongoing investment, rather than any single project or area of spending.
How much will the average household pay this year?
The Parish Precept is the part of Council Tax set locally to fund services and facilities. It is collected by Cornwall Council and supports things such as maintenance of local assets, community facilities, and day-to-day running of the Parish Council.
In recent years, the Parish Council has kept increases to the precept low. However, the past twelve months have seen increased financial pressures and new demands on the Parish Council. This year, the precept will increase to reflect rising core costs, increasing responsibilities, and a clearer understanding of what is needed to support the community effectively.
Parish Councils are increasingly being encouragedto take on a greater role in delivering services, and Chacewater already undertakes numerous local projects and services. Despite this, the precept has been lower than that of many similarly sized parishes elsewhere in Cornwall, and this year’s budget begins to bring it more into line with other parishes.
The largest increases in the budget relate to staffing and core operational costs. The Parish Clerk’s hours will increase due to a significant rise in workload during 2025, particularly in responding to and engaging with members of the public. This will help ensure the Parish Council has the capacity to manage its responsibilities and deliver services effectively.
There have also been increases in governance and compliance costs, including auditing and professional fees. Membership of the Cornwall Association of Local Councils (CALC) has been reinstated to support the Parish Council.
The budget also includes provision for additional professional fees and potential loan repayments linked to ongoing project work, including the Recreation Centre project and the wider programme of improvements to Chacewater Recreation Ground. These form part of longer-term investment in community facilities, but are not the sole drivers of the increase.
In addition, clearer budgeting has been introduced by itemising ongoing utility and service costs for the WI Hall and public toilet at The Square Car Park, which have increased and can no longer be covered within other budgets. At the same time, steps have been taken to reduce or offset expenditure. The most significant reduction is due to additional funding secured from Cornwall Council for Public Rights of Way, which has enabled the Parish Council’s maintenance budget to be reduced to zero for the coming financial year.
The Parish Council is now focusing on building greater financial resilience, particularly as external grant funding becomes more limited.