Information Sharing: Precept Setting for the Future (Free)

Precept Setting for the Future

GAPTC is hosting a free online session designed to help councils approach precept setting with a growth mindset. The event will encourage councils to consider how to budget not only for the coming year, but also for longer-term resilience and community needs.

We will explore four key areas:

• Reserves – What level should your council hold, what should they cover, and is that enough?

• Proactive maintenance planning – Preparing for the upkeep of assets before issues arise.

• One-off projects – Building in capacity for special initiatives and local priorities.

• Contingency for asset and service devolution – Facing the future from a position of financial soundness.

Although the changing county landscape in the coming years is not yet clear, it is advantageous for councils to face these uncertainties with solid financial planning.

The session will feature:

• National precept data from NALC's newly released Annual Precept Report, with a local perspective provided by  GAPTC – helping councils benchmark their precept against neighbouring councils, and against those with similar tax bases and electorates.

• Steve Parkinson will guide us through the more technical financial details of reserves, and budget and precept setting.

• Guest Speaker: Jon Gammage – Clerk to Ransden Village Parish Council in Oxfordshire, sharing his council’s journey from a year-on-year 0% precept increase to increases of over 40%. He will outline how this came about, the council’s ongoing work, its approach to service delivery and maintenance, and importantly, how residents have responded. Ramsden is a small parish council with 5 councillor seats. 

This session is an opportunity for councillors and clerks to share knowledge, gain insight, and leave better equipped to plan for a financially sustainable future.