Council Meeting 10 December 2020
Budget and Precept 2021/22

The Budget
1. With restrictions on meetings, the budget process this year has comprised
informal remote meetings of the committees which have made
recommendations for their budget allocations for 2021/22. The Strategy,
Policy and Finance Committee held an informal remote meeting to review the
submissions and the documents attached to this report are the Committee’s
recommendations to Council for the Council’s 2021/22 budget.
2. Roads, Footpaths & Flatford Committee (General) – This budget shows a
modest increase of £800 on the current year. Savings amounting to £4,850
have been achieved but a new allocation of £5,000 has been included for
speed control matters (surveys, costs etc) which may be required as a result
of continuing discussions with Suffolk Highways with particular reference to
speed limits in the village. Other increases are £500 for the footway project
and an inflation increase of £150 for the litter picker.
3. Roads, Footpaths & Flatford Committee (Car Park & Toilets) – This shows
an increase of £3,800 on the current year. Savings of £1,300 have been
achieved. A small increase of £100 for business rates has been included. The
new item is £5,000 for car park improvements. Following maintenance work
and a drain survey in the current year it is anticipated that additional works of
improvement will be required in the next financial year.
4. Playing Fields Committee – An increase of £11,300 is proposed. This is
£4,000 for pavilion maintenance, for the structure of the building and for
enhanced security and £10,000.00 for the Outdoor Gym Project which has not
yet been reported to Council but for which financial provision will be required if
it is approved. Savings of £2,700 have been achieved as a result of prudent
management and one-off projects.
5. Burial Grounds Committee – Various minor housekeeping savings are
made and an increased expectation in income from cemetery fees, based on
the income over the last two years. However a new item of £3,000 for repairs
to the cemetery outbuilding roof has been included. This building houses the
mowing machines and the leaking roof will be detrimental to them. An added
complication is that the roof may contain asbestos which will increase the
repair costs if it has to be removed appropriately. The overall increase on this
budget is £2,609.93.
6. Neighbourhood Plan Committee – In the current year there has been
budget allocation of £20,000 for the Neighbourhood Plan review and £19,000
for Neighbourhood Plan projects. This is likely to be underspent because the
coronavirus lockdown has prevented the commencement of certain projects.
There is no carry forward of unspent budgets, which fall back into reserves,

and so similar allocations are sought for the next financial year to facilitate the
projects and the on-going review.
7. Strategy, Policy & Finance Committee (Grants) – Historically there has
been a list of prospective recipients of grant aid with a budget allocation
against each. Grant aid was paid to these bodies without the need for a formal
request. Two years ago the law changed and grant aid could only be provided
if a request was first received. In the last financial year this resulted in a
number of bodies not making such a request and consequently grant aid was
not provided to them. The same is happening this year and it is apparent that
the list system is no longer appropriate. This budget provides for a single
grant aid fund with the same allocation as this year and each application for
grant aid can be considered on its merits.
8. Strategy, Policy & Finance Committee (General Admin) – With a year’s
experience of administering this housekeeping budget, the Clerk has been
able to suggest a number of economies. In addition a one off allocation for
set-up costs for the Parish Office will not be required in the forthcoming
financial year. In total savings on the current year can be achieved in the sum
of £4,645.
9. All Committees – The combined committee submissions make a total budget
of £176,916.93, and increase of £13,864.93 on the 2020/21 budget of
£163,052.00. This amounts to an increase of approximately 8.5% and
demonstrates that the Council is continuing to expand and improve its
services to the public of East Bergholt. The budget is recommended to the
Council for approval by the Strategy, Policy and Finance Committee.
The Precept
10. Notwithstanding the increase in the budget, the Strategy, Policy and Finance
Committee was mindful of the financial pressures on local residents as a
result of the coronavirus crisis coupled with the fact that the Parish Council
has a healthy fund of reserves and concluded that it would be appropriate not
to raise the parish precept for 2021/22 and to fund the additional budget
requirement from reserves. Consequently the recommendation to Council is
that the precept remains the same as for the current financial year at
£163,000.00
Recommendation
11. It is RECOMMENDED that the Budget for 2021/22 totalling £176,916.93 and
the Precept in the sum of £163,000 be approved.

Graham White
Parish Clerk
3 December 2020