RICHMOND BOROUGH FINANCES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 2 May 1935, Page 11

RICHMOND BOROUGH FINANCES

REPORT BY DEPUTY-MAYOR At the last meeting of the Richmond Borough Council the Deputy-Mayor (Mr A. Tuffnell) made the following report to the Council on the question of finance:— “In view of certain statements made in a letter published in the Nelson “Evening Mail” regarding the financial position of the Borough and the administration of its affairs by this Council, I feel that it is advisable to bring before your notice a correct statement of the position, confirming the Mayor’s recent report, and as shown by the audited balance sheets of the Borough over a period of five or six years. As a comparison has been made of the past two years, during which this Council has been in office, with the periods during which the two previous Councils have held office, I have taken figures to show similar comparisons, from which you will see that, in spite of the fact that in framing the estimates it was not intended to build up the balance, yet at the end of the financial year just closed on 31st March, the balance was approximately £IOO in excess of that for the year ending 1933 when the Council took over. “I would also draw your attention to the further fact that the general rate levied for each of the past two years was |d as against fd for the last year of the previous Council and Jd for the three years previous to that. “The following figures show how much less was collected in rates for the past two years as compared with the four

“In the same way I have taken the cash balances at the end of each financial year over a period of seven years showing the amount in hand when the 1930-31 Council came into office and the subsequent years as follows:

“The last figure for the year ending 31st March, 1935, is made up as follows : Bank balance £Bl3 2s 5d (as per Mayor’s report), fixed deposit £SOO, appropriation for conversion premiums £2OO. “As already stated in this report when framing the estimates for last year it was not intended that the previous year’s balance would be realised, as the finances were thoroughly sound and it was felt that the ratepayers should receive the benefit of some relief in the difficult times beiniT experienced by all, and when you consider the figures placed before you this evening, I am sure, gentlemen, you will agree with me that your Finance Committee, under the able guidance of the Mayor, has sized up the position accurately and framed its finances along sound lines. “In spite of anything that may be said to the contrary, the present Council has not had the same amount of money to work on, yet it has more than maintained the position given into its care two years ago.”

previous years: Year. General Rate. Collected. 1930 Id £ 2519 1931 |d 2493 1932 ?d 2418 1933 Id 2470 1934 id 2180 1935 id 2154

£ s. d. 1929 1237 12 1 1930 1236 18 4 1931 865 17 5 1932 144& 13 0 1933 1439 9 3 1934 1626 0 8 1936 1513 2 5