Chair’s Report Our biggest job since the summer report has been to review MCC finances and set a budget for 2023/24 from April. This is “what we have available to spend” based on our plans and doesn’t mean that we will spend everything we have allocated, but that the reserves are there if needed. This time round we have included plans for additional hotspot litter-picking and maintenance resources, small highways work, accessibility improvements around Myland and youth provision, such as the recent funding of a YMCA youth club, which is building up numbers and providing a much needed local service. We are also looking at MCC funded events at the facilities at Northern Gateway for the spring when it is warmer and something outdoors will work. We have also included £30,000 potential spend on Community Centres in Myland. This is only part of our community centre reserve fund, which has been built up from under-spending over previous years and has been put in the budget, as it was felt that the potential for requests for funding from the proposed St Marks Community Centre at the old Colchester Rugby club ground made it sensible to do so. There are other planned centres in our Parish and it is very unlikely all will be up and running during the 2023/24 year, so a significant level is still held in reserves for future years. The Full Council in November recommended a precept demand of £120,000 to meet the budget, once reserves have been accounted for, and this is the same as the demand for 21/22. This is the amount we ask from residents through MCC’s proportion of their Council tax and should mean a similar annual amount for everyone to last year. This was based on an understanding of the exceptional cost of living pressures at the current time and our desire not to ask for any extra money, but instead making efficient use of existing reserves. As always, we are interested in your views on what you would like to see us do in the Parish, so please email me or the Clerk, or contact the office direct and we can make sure we are continuing to do what is wanted and needed. Cllr Alison Jay Chair of Myland Council 07761 729054 [email protected] 6
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA4ODM=