Changing Gear

Setting our budget for 2016-17 is proving quite a challenge. If you’ve walked past Chipping Bonhunt’s beautiful Town Hall recently you cannot have failed to see the scaffolding which has been erected around it. Sorry if this is causing any inconvenience, but we need to progress some long overdue maintenance to the roof and other parts of the structure. This is just one of the additional expenses we face next financial year.

We also need to try and build up our reserves now that a number of services and buildings have been transferred from the District Council to the Town. Sadly, it all costs money.

The District Council might be heading for some problems as well. They’ve been relying on the premium they get from central government for all the new houses that are being built. Now the government is talking about taking this away from District Councils that have not adopted a Local Plan. Well, we all know the situation locally….. Some chickens seem to be coming home to roost.