News

Ashington Town Council is thrilled to kick off the new financial year by opening the first round of its Small Grant Fund for 2024-2025.

Ashington Town Council believes that supporting our local organisations creates a thriving, enriching environment for all. The Town Council aims to create a more inclusive and equitable community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and succeed. We welcome applications from organisations committed to advancing these shared values.

Ashington Town Council met on Tuesday 13th February and agreed to award funding to three local community groups for their work to better the town. A total of £1,500 was granted from the council’s small grant fund.

Ashington Town Council met last night to agree the budget for 2024/25 and the subsequent precept demand to Northumberland County Council.

The precept is the amount of money collected from the taxpayers of Ashington via their Council Tax.

Leader of Ashington Town Council, Cllr John Tully, presented a draft budget which is summarised in the accompanying charts. The Council agreed an operating budget of £946,888. Alongside this, a separate General Reserves and Contingency pot of £175k, and Ear-Marked Reserves towards the longer-term replacement of assets equalling £65k.

As part of its approved budget for 2023/24, Ashington Town Council is delighted to announce the availability of the Small Grant Fund, providing an opportunity for Community Groups and Organisations to secure grants of up to £500.

Last week, the Civic Head of Ashington Town Council had the honour of presenting grant fund checks to several deserving community groups and organisations

The appointed External Auditor, Mazars LLP have completed our audit for the year ended 31st March 2023. Our financial page has been updated with the Notice of Conclusion and fully audited Annual Governance and Accountability Return.

The accounts are deemed in accordance with proper practice, with no matters being brought for attention that give cause for concern from a legislative or regulatory perspective. The Full Council meeting on Tuesday 26th September received the information and passed on their thanks to staff.

Ashington Town council’s agreed budget for 2023/24 includes a Small Grant Fund, which Community Groups and Organisations can apply for grants of up to £500.

Ashington Town Council has received and approved the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) (2022/23), and this will now be submitted to the external auditor. The unaudited AGAR has been published on the Council’s website, under the AGAR section of the Finance pages.

Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates.  The Notice of Public Rights and Publication of Unaudited Annual Governance and Accountability Return sets out these rights and how to exercise them.

In the week that followed Volunteers Week, Ashington Town Council continued to live up to their reputation as a ‘very generous council’. Pots of funding were agreed in the form of grants, climate focused support, and event and engagement assistance.