The precept for April 2024 to March 2025 is £20,250. This is the money the parish council receives to provide services for the parish, to meet its legal obligations and to cover the costs of representing local people.
The money for the precept is collected as part of council tax. On the council tax bill at the start of the year there is a breakdown of the portions claimed by the county Police and Fire Services, Essex County Council, Uttlesford District Council and the parish council. Each has a percentage of the total, which varies from year to year. The total amount you pay depends on which Band your home falls into – between A and H. Uttlesford District Council is in charge of banding and calculating your council tax bill as well as collecting the money.
The councillors don’t receive any part of the precept personally – except reimbursement of anything they have spent for the benefit of the council or the parish. (In fact, none of the councillors has claimed any expenses for many years.) Some larger councils may pay councillors a small allowance for their work as councillors, but Broxted has never done so.
The parish council reviews the effect of the precept on council tax when it is setting its budget, looking at its financial reserves and deciding what precept to ask for. You can find the current year’s budget on this website.