In preparing its budget for 2022-23, Thame Town Council has again looked hard at where it can reduce costs, while at the same time supporting the projects, functions and services that the community of Thame wish to be delivered by the Town Council.
As last year, the Town Council is going one step further in its transparency and community involvement, by offering the public opportunity to contact us via email or in writing to the Town Hall or by phone on 01844-212833 (request a call back), deadline 5 January 2022. This enables any resident of Thame to make a suggestion or discuss the draft budget in detail with the Town Clerk, Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) or members of the Budget Working Group. There is potential then for the Budget Working Group to refine the budget still further, in response to feedback from the community.
Initial discussions of the Budget Working Group have led to a first draft budget being prepared, that retains all the significant funding items from this year (i.e., contributions to the Cuttle Brook flood prevention measures, the Thame Senior Friendship Centre, a Youth Worker, the Red Kite Family Centre and the renewal of the Thame Neighbourhood Plan).
We are unable to draw down on our general reserves this year as a result of our loss of income and increased expenditure that has been incurred due to Coronavirus, car park / land transfers to Oxfordshire County Council and taking into account gas/electric cost increases together with inflation. It is important that residents are aware that Thame Town Council did not receive any funding from the Government which has meant we have had to fully absorb all losses which has greatly impacted on our general reserves. We have continued to support market traders and other projects with free rent/rent reductions to help them through the pandemic.
Adjustments have been made to reflect realistic cost/revenue expectations for the coming year and for the seventh year running, the Town Council will also primarily call on its Capital Reserves for capital projects, rather than funding through the precept.
The net impact is the average household (i.e. Band D) will contribute a 3.5% increase which equates to an increase of £0.11p per week or £5.74 extra per year - total annual payable is £169.66 per year compared to last year at £163.92 (through the precept portion of Council Tax) towards the funding of all the projects, functions and services that Thame Town Council provides for the community.
If you wish to discuss the budget in more detail, we would be pleased to hear from you. We welcome suggestions from residents on ways that we can improve our budgeting still further. A detailed 32-page draft budget report – showing the proposed budget for 2022-23, in comparison to this year and last year is available upon request.
Thame Town Council is committed to continuing to deliver projects and is supporting the Thame Youth Community Project as well as arranging functions/services that residents, workers, and visitors to the town expect, at a price that the residents are prepared to pay, and we thank everyone for their ongoing support in that work.
