The running of the Parish Council, in effect the village, has always been funded by a "precept", or charge to the ratepayers. The costs of running the Council are listed below.
Originally the precept was a charge on the Overseers who employed a person to collect the "Poor Rate" which they then passed on to the Board of Guardians. There was also a lighting rate and a sanitary rate to collect.
Finance matters were originally given into the hands of a Finance Committee formed on 1st September 1895 with W J Hickson, E J Jefferson and O Oldham comprising its membership. No further mention however is made of the committee after this minute.
At the annual audit of accounts in 1898 the District Auditor noted that all financial transactions be minuted or else Councillors could be surcharged. Certainly recording of expenditure improved thereafter.
The precepts have been:
Year Precept Requested 1895 £10.00.0 1896 None recorded 1897 None recorded 1898 Cash in hand sufficient 1899 None recorded 1900 £ 7.10.0 1901 £ 10.00.0 1902 None recorded 1903 None recorded 1904 None recorded 1905 None recorded 1906 £ 6.10.0 1907 £ 7.00.0 1908 £10.00.0 1909 £ 8.00.0 1910 £ 8.00.0 1911 £ 6.00.0 1912 £ 7.00.0 1913 £10.00.0 1914 £10.00.0 1915 NIL 1916 - 1924 Not noted 1925 £ 8.00.0 1926 £10.00.0 1927 £34.00.0 1928 £20.00.0 1929 £20.00.0 1930 £15.00.0 1931 £15.00.0 1932 None requested 1933 £12.00.0 1934 £12.00.0 1935 £12.00.0 1936 £13.00.0 1937 £24.00.0 1938 £26.00.0 1939 £30.00.0 1940 £10.00.0 1941 £10.00.0 1942 £10.00.0 1943 £10.00.0 1944 £10.00.0 1945 £15.00.0 1946 £15.00.0 1947 £25.00.0 1948 £15.00.0 1949 £60.00.0 1950 £60.00.0 1951 £60.00.0 1952 £45.00.0 1953 £60.00.0 1954 £73.00.0 1955 £91.00.0 1956 £80.00.0 1957 £70.00.0 1958 £105.00.0 1959 £85.00.0 1960 £95.00.0 1961 £110.00.0 1962 £110.00.0 1963 £110.00.0 1964 £150.00.0 1965 £170.00.0 1966 £230.00.0 1967 £450.00.0 1968 £560.00.0 1969 £436.00.0 1970 £383 1971 £300.00 1972 £450.00 1973 £700.00 1974 Not recorded 1975 £1000.00 1976 £1600.00 1977 £1450.00
The precept in 1940 to 1945 was in effect just to keep the Council 'ticking over'. The main payments out were for the wages of the clerk, audit stamps, and the standing charges for the electricity supply and lamps etc for the street lights. The street lights were, of course, not lit, from 1939 to late 1944 when a reduced level was allowed.
Rate Collector
In March 1897 the Council were asked by the rate collector what increase in salary they were willing to give him for making and collecting the "Poor Rate". Asked what he wanted he replied "£8.00.0, up from £5.00.0". The Council voted 3 votes to 2 to award a rise of £2.00.0, making his salary £7.00.0 pa.
* It was agreed 2nd November 1901. "that £ 3.10.0 pa be paid to Mr D Feasey, rate collector, for collecting the special sanitary rate to satisfy a precept of £20. issued by the District Council, but that the same payment to be made in the future regardless of the amount due". Evidently some ill-feeling was evident over the imposed rate due to the long running saga of sanitary matters. This additional sum made the rate collector annual salary up to £10.10.0 pa.
The rate collector was David Feasey, who did the job from the inception of the Parish Council, until his death in February 1912. His son, Walter Eaton Feasey, was recommended to the District Council, to take his place as Collector of Income Tax and appointed the following month. He resigned in May and the Board of Guardians asked the Council to recommend another person. The rate of pay was to be £8.00.0pa with the candidate having to find a bond of £100. The Council recommended Harold Dudley Gardner.
Mr Gardner did not last long for it was reported in September that he had resigned! The then District Councillor, Major Allfrey, was charged by the Guardians to find another collector, who was also to be an assistant overseer. The assistant overseer, however, was to act as Clerk which did not go down well with the incumbent of the day. The Guardians wished to make the appointment of the collector/overseer at a salary of £12.00.0 pa. This idea did not find favour with the Council as it wished to appoint the person to act as the Clerk. Eventually, in April 1913, Mr E Stapleton was appointed as Clerk and Assistant Overseer at a salary of £2 pa as Clerk and £8 pa for collecting the special rates. Mr Stapleton however had to resign, as he became a member of the RDC. Mr A E G Bennett was appointed by 18th September 1914.
Treasurer
Initially the finances of the Council were handled by a Treasurer, who actually was the banker. These were:
From To Name Notes 05.01.1895 15.03.1895 Richard Littleboy Died 15.03.1895 04.05.1895 27.03.1906 Frederick Bassett Banker, of Leighton Buzzard. His bank was the fore-runner of Barclays in Newport Pagnell. 27.03.1905 08.02.1926 F Littleboy 08.02.1926 Barclays Bank Ltd, Newport Pagnell
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