3. What we spend and how we spend it

3.1 Financial statements, budgets and variance reports

The council spends public money and it is important that the public can see how we have spent that money. The website contains a large amount of information on financial matters, including financial plans, budget summaries and the Capital Strategy.View financial information for the last three years.

Find further information on our Statement of Accounts page, including our Building Regulations Account.

3.2 Spending reviews

The council undertakes regular reviews of actual against budgeted spend on both the Capital and Revenue Budgets. These are reported to Cabinet.Read details of the latest and historical reviews. (opens new window). These can be found under the committee papers for Cabinet.

3.3 Financial audit reports

The Governance and Audit Committee approve the Statement of Accounts, that is the document auditing all the council's financial activities for a financial year.

More information about Breckland Council's statement of accounts.

3.4 Members' allowances scheme

Councillors are entitled to receive an annual allowance from the council, as laid down under national legislation. This is called the Scheme of Members Allowances. For example, they may claim expenses for any travelling that they do while performing their duties. The allowances, which members may decline if they wish, are subject to deductions for income tax and national insurance.

Find out more about Members' allowances.

3.5 Staff allowances and expenses

Read Breckland Council's Pay Policy Statement, which sets out staff benefits and allowances.

3.6 Pay and grading structure

The council has a pay policy statement that produced in accordance with Sections 38 to 43 of the Localism Act 2011 ("the Act"), which, from 2012 onwards, requires all local authorities to publish an annual statement of their policy for the relevant financial year. For more information, see above link to 'Member's pages'.

3.7 Election expenses

Information can be obtained by emailing elections@breckland.gov.uk

3.8 Procurement procedures

We have a strategy for procuring goods, works and services and the Rules for Financial Governance provide a set of controls to ensure the council does this each time. The Contract Standing Orders sets out in detail the way we invite bids for contracts and promote effective and fair competition to achieve good value for money.

Read about our approach to procurement.

3.9 External Auditor's report

You canread our current External Auditor's report online (opens new window). This is reported to the Governance & Audit Committee at the July meeting each year.

3.10 Internal financial regulations

You canread the Rules of Financial Governance and Contract Standing Orders online (opens new window). These are the rules by which the council seeks to maintain proper financial and internal control of its activities.

3.11 Payments to senior officers

'Senior Officers' are the Executive Management Team and are defined as being:

• A statutory chief officer as defined in the LGHA 1989 section 2(6).
• A non-statutory chief officer as defined in the LGHA 1989 section 2(7).
• Someone with responsibility for the management of the authority, being able to direct or control its major activities, whether solely or collectively.

View the council's Pay Policy Statement.