Overview
Students examine ways in which a fictional town council could spend its budget. They consider the concerns of different residents and analyse how the budget could be spent most effectively. Finally students present and justify their budgets, defending their decision making in front of ‘local residents’.
Aimed at KS4 or Post-16, by the end of the lesson students will:
- Describe the role of local government;
- Consider some of the competing demands on local council budgets;
- Present their ideas on how a local council budget should be spent, reflecting on the different needs of the community.
Acknowledgements:

More Lessons resources
Making a Difference From Home
Our packs support KS2 and KS3 pupils to plan and deliver their very own mini social action project. By...
The Big Legal Lesson 2025 (ages 11-18+)
Join the UK's biggest legal education campaign during February 2025.
What Happens When Laws are Broken?
During this lesson pupils explore what happens when laws are broken, learn about the different types of sentences that are given and the main purposes of sentencing. Before taking part…
More Economics, Money and Managing Resources resources
COVID and the Economy
During this session, students will critically examine some of the key economic considerations of the pandemic. They will explore...
How Should We Farm?
In this lesson pupils will learn about different farming methods. They will consider the advantages and disadvantages of these methods and learn how to identify labels that indicate how food…
Climate Action: Circular Economies
During this lesson students explore how the economy can be used to support climate action and create a more...
More Politics and Democracy resources
What is a Vote?
In this lesson pupils will learn what it means to vote by looking at relatable examples in the lives of the Go-Givers. They will consider why and how votes are…
What is Democracy?
This resource pack is the first of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...
Magna Carta
During this lessons pupils will look at the history of the Magna Carta and consider how it has helped shape the laws we have today. Pupils consider what ‘fairness’…
More KS4 (ages 14-16) resources
Consumer Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson explores the law concerning buying and selling goods and services highlighting what their rights and responsibilities are as a consumer. The lesson gives students the opportunity to practice…
How to share learning with your peers
Originally designed to be a companion pack for the Democracy Ambassadors programme, this handy toolkit will support students who...
Sentencing Myths (SmartLaw Subscription)
This short activity challenges young people’s perceptions of current sentencing guidelines. It can be run as a standalone activity or as an extension activity as part of a mock trial…
More KS5 (ages 16-18) resources
What is a Political Party?
This resource pack is the fourth of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...
How to share learning with your peers
Originally designed to be a companion pack for the Democracy Ambassadors programme, this handy toolkit will support students who...
Controversial issues: guidance for schools
Children are alert to information and images they see in the media. These may graphically influence their view of the world, and not always positively. Graphic images on TV and…