Financial information

Financial Management Services

The Accountancy & Financial Management service is a section in the Finance division of St Helens Borough Council.

There are two broad roles undertaken by the Accountancy function:

• Support - the provision of sound financial advice to ensure that financial resources available are maximised and optimised.
• Regulation and control - to set and maintain standards of financial administration that enable the implementation of the council's statutory duties.

Two of the main tasks undertaken are the formulation of budgets and the preparation of the Annual Accounts.

Further details about these tasks can be found in the council budgets and annual accounts sections.

Medium Term Financial Strategy

The Medium Term Financial Strategy aims to support the council's corporate planning process. This is accomplished by identifying the financial resources available to support the delivery of its key priorities, together with the strategy for allocating these resources over future years. During this process, any major financial resource issues the council faces will also be highlighted.

Council Tax

 Council Tax is just one of several income streams the Council uses to fund local services. The money collected through Council Tax is not allocated to any specific service. Instead, it forms part of the Council's overall funding, alongside income from Business Rates, Government grants, and Sales, Fees and Charges. Together, these sources support all the services the Council delivers.

For further detail, the Council's Budget Book published on the 'Budget for Council Services 2026/27 webpage', provides revenue budget information by service area and type of expenditure, as well as charts showing where the Council's funding comes from and how it is spent.

Not all Council Tax collected is retained by the Council. It also supports Parish Councils, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside, the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. Each of these bodies manages its own budget and determines its own precept, which the Council collects on their behalf. More information about these precepting authorities can be found in the 2026/27 Council Tax Information leaflet, linked below.

The Council Tax Leaflet also explains how Council Tax is calculated and how it relates to the Council's overall budget.

Constitution

The Constitution sets out how the council operates, how decisions are made and the procedures which are followed to ensure that these are efficient, transparent and accountable. The Financial Procedure Rules which govern the council's financial affairs can be found under 'Downloads' below.

Financial Monitoring Report

A report is produced four times per year for members' consideration, which details the latest revenue budget position and the forecast revenue outturn for the council. This report also details the position on the capital budget and reserves and balances.