Understand how your council works

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Spending and accounts

Many local councils provide information on their websites to show how they spend their budget.

You can view details of:

  • payments for goods and services over £500
  • contracts and tenders over £500

Looking at annual accounts

Every year councils must open their detailed financial accounts to the public for 30 working days.

This allows you to check any spending under £500 without having to make a freedom of information request.

Your council must publish on its website and in the local press details of when you can check its accounts.