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
Democracy Ambassadors
What was Democracy Ambassadors? Between April 2018 and March 2019 Young Citizens worked with youth leaders to recruit 1,000...
Chicken Soup
In this lesson pupils will read a tale adapted from Jewish folklore that explores the theme of sharing. Pupils will reflect on the behaviour of the characters and consider how…
Local and Central Government
This resource pack is the third of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...
More Economics, Money and Managing Resources resources
What is Debt?
Students will explore issues around money, personal and sovereign debt and consider the impact government borrowing has on future...
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…
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…
More Politics and Democracy 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...
Mock Parliament Debate
Aimed at students in KS4 and 5 (13-18 year olds) the pack is designed to be delivered over a...
Who Runs the Country?
In this lesson pupils explore who runs the country and how they are elected. Pupils will learn about the important role that MPs play in representing the people who live…
More KS4 (ages 14-16) resources
Migration of People
To help you engage your students in the topic of migration Young Citizens have developed a flexible teaching resource...
Bar Mock Trial Competition – Support Videos
Preparing for the Bar Mock Trial Competition? Watch these video explainers, demonstrations and expert tips on key aspects of criminal trials. To access this content, register for our Bar Mock…
Who’s to Blame? (SmartLaw Subscription)
This activity is based on the case of R v. Dudley and Stephens (1884) – two sailors accused of murdering cabin boy Richard Parker, after being cast adrift on the…
More KS5 (ages 16-18) resources
Climate Action: Using the Law to Drive Change
In 2021, COP26 was hosted in Glasgow. It was seen as a pivotal moment in tackling the global climate...
An Introduction to Human Rights
In this lesson students will explore our rights and responsibilities and how they are protected in law. They are...
Ethics, Innovation and the Law
Aimed at KS4 and Post-16, your students will: Explore the way technology is developing and the impacts this has...