A parish council has several powers granted under various Acts of Parliament, which enable it to spend money.
Pensax Parish Council, donations and grants policy falls under the statutory power of Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972, which permits it to spend up to a specific limit on anything in the opinion of the Council is in the interests of Pensax Parish or any part of it, or is in the interest or all or some of its inhabitants.
This amount is limited to a figure per head of the electorate on the electoral roll on the 1st of January before the commencement of the financial year. The figure is index-linked and is advised by NALC annually.
To be eligible for a grant award under Section 137, an organisation must
- be established for non-political, charitable, benevolent, social, cultural, recreational or philanthropic purposes
- and have a constitution or set of rules which defines its aims, objectives and operational procedures.
- be able to provide a copy of its latest annual accounts or, most recently, three bank statements.
- Accounts are to be checked and signed by a person independent of the group
- have a bank account operated by a minimum of at least two joint signatories.
