Haydon Wick Parish Council has created a considered, balanced, and careful budget which proves the current cost of living rises has been at the forefront of the Council’s attention. Options have been explored and revisited, whilst watching the economy closely over the last three months. The deadline to submit the precept to Swindon Borough Council was extended by two weeks to ensure that the most accurate and up to date information was considered.
The Parish Council has also experienced significant rises in costs from external factors such as materials, fuel, insurances and personnel cost of living rises. Therefore, a standstill budget was not feasible. The Parish Council has also leased two new electric vehicles to help offset against its carbon footprint and reduce fuel costs, but in turn the utility costs have risen.
The Council has met in the middle and made cost savings on projected spend for this financial year, and where possible, reduced budget lines from next financial year. The Council has looked at ways of promoting its services and increasing its revenue, from letting out its meeting room to community groups, contracting out external grounds maintenance services to other parishes and local businesses, hiring out the community bus and selling advertising in the local parish magazine, which will help balance the budget and save further costs being drawn from the precept.
Building on its significant progress within the last twelve months, delivering the enhanced grounds maintenance programme, hosting an award-winning Memory Café, organising and running more than twenty successful community events and receiving a Quality Gold Award, which recognises that the Parish Council meets the highest standards set by the sector. This award means that the Parish Council has proven to be going above and beyond its legal obligations, leading the community and continuously seeking opportunities to improve and develop even further. Furthermore, Haydon Wick Parish Council is the first parish council in Swindon to be accredited at the Quality Gold level.
The Parish Council is also exploring options for the building of the proposed Grounds Maintenance Facility which will house the Parks & Open Spaces Team and enhance operational efficiency. This large scale project has been two years in the making and is vital to enable its in-house team to deliver the good standard of grounds maintenance that the community has grown to appreciate.
Recognising the mental and physical wellbeing these outside spaces provide for residents, the Council has committed to improved maintenance, enhancements and effective management of the playparks, allotments, and open spaces.
Chairman Councillor Vinay Manro said:
“To expand on the Parish Council’s success and continue to provide the best service possible the residents who live within the parish, some crucial decisions have been made to deliver a balanced and fair budget.
Haydon Wick Parish Council’s precept is still relatively low in comparison to other parishes of a similar size within the Borough of Swindon. This demonstrates that it has delivered a high level of service at best value. As recognised by the recent Quality Gold award.
Fortunately, prudent management of previous budgets stood us in good stead. The financial uncertainty that many of our residents’ face has been at the forefront of our minds as we set this year’s precept. At the Full Council meeting on 14th February 2023 the precept was agreed to be £108.68 per year which is an increase of £9.80 per year for a Band D property.”
The Parish Council hopes that residents recognise the value for money the precept of £108.68 per year represents, and the services this offers to all sectors of the community it represents.
