Annual Budget

The Parish Council is totally committed to making life in the village as enjoyable and happy as possible and is very aware of the current challenges faced by many in the community. This is true for the Hartley Wintney Parish Council services.

 As part of its Statutory responsibilities, the Parish Council must set out its detailed budget setting out its spending plans to maintain existing commitments including new costs. The Parish Council budget is approved by Hart District Council.  The budget is the basis of the ‘Parish Precept’ or the money from the Council Tax to fund Parish activities. A copy of the budget is available on the Parish Council website (add link)

 The January 2023 the Full Council agreed a set of assumptions that have an impact on this year’s budget

•  Inflation rate. The HWPC has used an 8% inflation rate as a prudent uplift.
• Staff salary pay awards. The Local Government Association provides guidance as to what pay increase is appropriate.
• HW Community priorities. The community survey undertaken in 2020 identified four priorities that residents whished the Parish Council to pursue, these were:

Community Bus

Playground improvements

Public toilet maintenance and improvement

Monachus Car Park Free parking (red bays)

• Community bus – The service was reviewed during 2022/23 and changes to the timetable were made.  The Parish Council will continue to finance the £12,500 operational deficit of the service.
•  Playground improvements. Many residents will have seen the draft plans for the improvement of the Jubilee Fields playground facilities at the 2022 Village Fayre.

The current outline cost of £80,000 will be raised through donations from local businesses and individual donors. The final layout proposals will be shared with the community for comment. There is no impact from this playground improvement plan on the budget.

•  Public Toilets –The Parish Council is very aware that the current facilities need improvement. A project has already started to look at design and sources of funding during 2023.
•  Monachus car park – red bay parking. The funding of free parking in the red bays continues to be hugely beneficial to the village and will continue. The £8,500 annual costs are included in the budget.
•  Lucy Pygott Centre. The sports and pavilion facilities have proved very popular. The centre is on track to break even financially in 2024/25. For 2023/24 the facility is budgeted to allow for a £7,100 deficit.
•  Ponds – The transfer of responsibility for Hatten’s and Causeway Ponds his underway. As part of the transfer, Hart District Council has transferred £50,000 to the Parish Council to bring the ponds back to the condition that many residents remember and for their future maintenance.  As part of a wider programme to actively manage our other Village ponds, a cost of £26,000 has been added to the budget for improvements to the Dilly Lane Pond.

•  Events – The Environment and Amenities Committee is reviewing the Village events reflecting on comments and suggestions received from many Residents. The current programme this year include Coronation related events, Christmas market and festive street lighting, and the possible reintroduction of a firework display in the autumn.

• External funding. The Council has a very prudent policy regarding funding from external sources. The current small Public Works loan continues to be repaid.
•  Efficiencies. The Council is constantly looking for economies and improved efficiencies. A decision to delay the purchase of a replacement of the Parish maintenance vehicle has been taken has meant a cash flow saving of over £30,000.

 Impact on the Parish Budget (Precept) for 2023/24.

Taking the impact of the financial pressures coupled with the significant range of community assets the Full Council of Hartley Wintney Parish approved the 2023/24 budget of £313,845 (2022/23 – £251,435).

The effect is a £1.89 per month  (£113.99 per year) increase for a Band D property in the Parish and is reflected in the Hart Council Tax which has been sent to all households.

The Precept is the annual amount of tax charged on each residential property in Hartley Wintney to fund the activities and services provided by the Parish Council.

The Precept for the financial year 2023/2024 was set at £313,845, which equates to £113.99 per annum for a Band D property.

This amount was agreed at Full Council on 9th January 2023, and works out at £9.50 per month per Band D property (tax base).

The budget is summarised below, split by Committee responsibilities.

HWPC BUDGET 23.24

The Precept is the annual amount of tax charged on each residential property in Hartley Wintney to fund the activities and services provided by the Parish Council.

The Precept for the financial year 2022/2023 was set at £251,435, which equates to £91.25 per annum for a Band D property.

This amount was agreed at Full Council on 10th January 2022, and is an increase of £14.20 per year per Band D property (tax base).

The budget is summarised below, split by Committee responsibilities.

Budget 22.23