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Council
finances are difficult to understand, not only do they deal with
hundreds of millions of pounds but they are subject to a wide number of
rules and accounting procedures. A government minister once told me
"There are only two people who fully understand local government
finance and they both disagree".
I will try to explain where
your money goes and how it is spent. Any figures I use on this page
are very rough and ready and are only an illustration
The average council tax paid is now nearing £1000, so I will use that figure for this example.
So Where does The £1000 go?
Suffolk County Council………………………..£780
St. Edmundsbury Borough Council……….£130
Suffolk Police Authority……………………….£90
Haverhill Town Council…………………………£17
And Where Is The £1000 spent?
£780--Suffolk County Council Receives
£437...To…...Education (basically schools)
£211…………...Social Care (mainly care of elderly, but also children)
£78……………...Environment &Transport (public transport, road)
£31……………...Protection (Fire, Trading Standards, emergency plans)
£16……………….Libraries and Heritage (Mainly libraries, & records, arts)
£8………………...Everything else
£130 - St. Edmundsbury Council Receives
£60………………..Leisure (Sports Centres, Parks, Arts Centre, Bury arts)
£20………………...Waste Collection (emptying your bins)
£10…………………..Street Cleaning
£90--Suffolk police Authority Receives
£45………………...Police Pay
£16…………………..Support staff
£11…………………..Pensions (net of contributions)
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