By law, parish councils must have an external audit carried out by a body or person authorised to undertake such an audit. This costs a minimum of around £500 which would mean a parish precept of around £8 – £10 a house per year just for the audit. As Maidstone Borough Council and Kent County Councils are responsible for matters such as the roads and street cleaning, whilst the village hall has its own committee which maintains the hall, the need to raise a precept is limited. Instead there is an Annual Village meeting to allow a forum for villagers to raise and discuss matters of importance with elected representatives at the Borough and County level, as well as with the police.
Sep 21