Cllr Suresh Jeganathan, Finance Portfolio Holder, Sherborne Town Council
In January’s council meeting, Sherborne Town Council agreed to raise the 2024/25 Band D Council tax by £21.84 over the year or £1.82 per month.
The town council froze its share of Council Tax last year, in response to the cost-of-living crisis, which continues to affect us all. The reality of town council operations planned for the forthcoming financial year means that this couldn’t be repeated.
Being very aware of the current financial difficulties facing councils up and down the country we cannot be complacent about the finances of Sherborne Town Council and wish to maintain them in a healthy condition, whilst we strive to enhance provision locally.
So, where is the money spent? Largely on the facilities which we, as residents of Sherborne benefit from. Most noticeable are the exceptional outdoor spaces that the town council maintains such as the Terrace Playing Fields where our children take their first steps playing football, rugby, cricket or tennis and of course where our Town’s youth and adult teams train and play. Also, our nature reserve, gardens and outdoor spaces which are all central to our physical and mental wellbeing.
Since being in post our Responsible Finance Officer has further developed the regular reporting and management of the council’s finances. This information is now easier to interpret and this has been acknowledged with the town council receiving a recent accreditation for good governance, financial reporting and its general management. This in turn should help to reassure us all that the council is well managed. The town council was also recognised at a national level – a finalist in the 2023 Council of the Year (NALC) Star Council Awards – for its focus on green ethics, innovative initiatives, and improved communication as set out in its 2019 Forward Plan. Much of the plan has been achieved and a new plan will soon be developed.
This council has stood up and made key financial decisions during its term of office and done well to earn the grants it has acquired as well as issuing grants to local community organisations. Moving forward and under the next administration, the town council aspires to having its home at The Manor House to be fitted with renewable energy sources, following the success of the green energy project at The Terrace Playing Fields.
We have entered an election year and all of us as voters will all be asked to make our choices at both a local and national level. Last year, my predecessor in this role, Cllr Taylor wrote about the importance of solidarity to the health of our communities; that we are all in this together. “Tax” is not a dirty word in that context.
Whether Councillors or not, we need to know that the pound or two from our pockets, the grants received and given are being wisely spent on our town community and its assets.