WARNING bells were rung at Beaminster Town Council on Monday when councillors examined the end of year accounts.

Chairman Janet Page pointed out that the receipts for the public hall were down by nearly £5,000.

Councillors had estimated that they would get in £15,000 from the hall but the real figure was only £10,531.

She said hall receipts were a lot down from normal. "I hope they are not down this year. We are going to be £5,000 adrift if they are. Payments are very much up and receipts very much down."

Even with this bad news the balances still look healthy with payments out nearly £3,000 less than budgeted for.

Councillors had budgeted for £3,500 in grant donations but only given out £1,150 and estimated they would hand out £1,000 from the Atkey fund but only paid out £175. The leisure and amenity fund was the same with councillors thinking they would hand out £1,600 but only giving away £349.

On the other side they had to pay out more for administration, the public hall and footway lighting than expected, but paid less out on the cemetery and playing field than they thought they might.

The grand total of money in was £75,151 in and £75,209 out.

The balance sheet for the period to the end of March shows the council has £35,000 national savings investment, £30,000 in its leisure and amenities fund savings account and £5,000 in the Atkey savings account fund, with more in the working accounts, with a further £13,321 in a premier interest account and £5,690 in the current account.