A Hadleigh resident has revealed a litany of mistakes, unrealistic assumptions and concerns over missing information in the forthcoming town council budget.

Roger Young, a former company director who lives in Hadleigh used the public forum at last Thursday's full council meeting to highlight a number of discrepancies, which could have an adverse effect on the precept figures and in turn the amount council tax residents will have to pay in the next financial year.

Mr Young stated the £500,000 Public Works Loan Board loan to pay for the cemetery extension has been a 'disaster for Hadleigh residents' which resulted in a significant jump in council tax by 18.7% in two years.

He was also critical of Responsible Financial Officer Alicja Barnes' budget assumptions and he suggested it would take a 'a plague of biblical proportions' to achieve the predicted cemetery income. with a sharp increase of burials and cremations in Hadleigh.

'A plague of biblical proportions' needed to achieve predicted cemetery income

His examination of the budget report and accompanying figures also revealed the net Income over expenditure for "Allotments" is clearly not a negative £586. The figure is wrong by £950.

Mr Young added: "But that, Mr. Deputy Mayor, is small beer compared with the £4,000 error in the addition in the administration costs for the current year. And by not including the original budget agreed by this council for this year 2022/23 as a reference, the fact that the cemetery income, presented to council last year, was over £14,000 wrong, is cleverly disguised."

Bill Wilson, who was chairing the meeting, did not respond to Mr Young's accusations and RFO Miss Barnes was not in attendance to be able to clarify the figures.

Later in the meeting Andrew Knock questioned the predicted income and was told by the town clerk Wendy Brame it was expected more bookings for natural burials would come from outside Hadleigh.

Further attempts to clarify the budget and other issues by Mr Knock, who later resigned, was shut down by Cllr Wilson.

Despite the number of irregularities pointed out by Mr Young, the council went ahead with the agenda item and received version three of the 2023/24 budget, although version four is expected to be present early in the new year.

Cllr Bill Wilson faled to respond

Full statement as read out by Mr Young:

Mr. Deputy Mayor,

Under item 6 – Budget 23/24 of your agenda tonight, your Councillors are asked to – "To receive and consider version 3 of the 2023/24 budget." These figures are accompanied by a DRAFT report from the Projects and Finance Officer.

I confess to not fully understanding parts of the RFO's report, particularly the comments relating to the impact of the change in Cemetery coding where it states - "just the coding was hidden on the documentation". There is a lot more hidden from Councillors. For example, where are the original 2022/23 budget comparisons that would enable the gross budget errors of this year to be seen?

What I do understand is the Responsible Finance Officer's comments that there is a substantial decrease in budgeted reserves based on her projections.

Mr. Deputy Mayor, I have been critical of the budget assumptions made in previous years. My criticisms of the HTC financial situation started way back with the original egregious figures produced by the "Old HTC Cabal". They clearly did not understand the financial implications when they applied for the PWLB  £500,000 loan. As the RFO now acknowledges, this loan has cost Hadleigh Council Tax payers a significant jump in Council Tax. It was a jump of 18.7% in two years. 

The PWLB application for the loan was verified by Suffolk Association of Local Councils. It was obviously wrong then, and has been a disaster for Hadleigh residents ever since. Interestingly, SALC replaced the HTC Internal Auditor soon after the application. Their role now is to examine the HTC accounts. I hope they do so more diligently this year.

It may not surprise you, therefore, that I am also critical of this year's budget assumptions. Not only do the Income estimates expected for the Cemetery clearly predict a plague of biblical proportions with far more burials and cremations in Hadleigh,  but the other budget figures presented to Council don't even add up correctly.

Those Councillors who have read their papers can easily spot that – for example – the Net Income over expenditure for "Allotments" is clearly not a negative £586. The figure is wrong by £950. But that, Mr. Deputy Mayor, is small beer compared with the £4,000 error in the addition in the Administration costs for the current year. AND, by not including the original budget agreed by this Council for this year 2022/23 as a reference, the fact that the Cemetery income, presented to Council last year, was over £14,000 wrong, is cleverly disguised. 

All these errors will have a material impact on setting the new precept for next year - 2023/24 and need to be carefully considered by Councillors when they are corrected.

Mr. Deputy Mayor, this meeting cannot possible "receive and consider" this budget report at this meeting with such inaccuracies and grave errors in the figures reported. 

Thank you.