St Peter Port’s reserves fall by 35% over three years
St Peter Port parish officials charged parishioners lower rates in 2023 than had been approved by the Royal Court – a move which cost the parish about £230,000.
Confirmation was delivered by constable Ken Acott at this week’s parish meeting, where he also outlined how the parish’s reserves had slumped from more than £1m. to £653,000 at the end of 2024.
After the 2023 budget meeting in April, the parish applied to the Royal Court to be allowed to raise £502,000 via the Owner’s Rate and this was approved.
However, in the end parishioners only paid a total of about £270,000.
Mr Acott said that his understanding was that at the time finances were good and the constables and douzaine had decided to ‘give parishioners a break’ and to apply a reduced increase.
But it had only been while he was getting the accounts for 2021-23 audited that it was suggested that previous officials should perhaps have made the changes before going to court. These formal accounts, which were not produced for the past three years and never signed off, are now available on the parish’s website. But there was little discussion of these among a turn-out of about 70 people at the meeting.
‘We had debated whether we thought the focus would be on the past accounts or on the sums we’re trying to raise,’ said Mr Acott.
‘I can’t say I was surprised. The comments we have received so far reflect an element of satisfaction that at last the accounts are available.’
He said that the parish had decided to draw a line under this and look to the future. Focus of attendees was firmly on street lighting and a request to support funding for the Christmas lights in town.
Parishioners present at the meeting ultimately almost unanimously backed a remede to collect £724,982 during 2025, and a further £881,150 for the refuse rate.
This was the correct sum required to meet the parish’s costs in 2025, Mr Acott said, but would make no dent in starting to rebuild parish reserves.
He highlighted a number of inaccuracies in previous calculations for parish expenditure, and outlined where some savings had been made, particularly on maintenance contracts and bank charges.
From an operating surplus of £76,000 in 2021, the parish had ended up with a deficit of £125,000 in 2024, Mr Acott said.
Fellow constable Di Mitchell said that the parish had enhanced its governance arrangements in the past six months.
The two constables, dean and vice-dean of the douzaine and senior staff now make up a management committee and all bank accounts require two signatories to spend or move money.
The parish is also receiving monthly management accounts.
‘We have put in place effective governance procedures and are getting to grips with a lot of stuff in the office,’ Mrs Mitchell said.
