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
Youth Justice (SmartLaw Subscription)
During this lesson, students will explore the process a young person goes through when they commit, or are suspected of committing a crime. They will also examine different types of…
Who Keeps us Healthy?
In this lesson pupils consider what being healthy means and who plays a role in keeping the population healthy. The coronavirus pandemic is given as an example of populations taking…
An Introduction to Human Rights
In this lesson students will explore our rights and responsibilities and how they are protected in law. They are...
More Economics, Money and Managing Resources resources
Climate Action: Circular Economies
During this lesson students explore how the economy can be used to support climate action and create a more...
Local and Central Government
This resource pack is the third of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...
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…
More Politics and Democracy resources
The Government and the Economy
By the end of the lesson students will: Understand key economic terms including taxation, welfare benefits, public spending and...
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...
How Does the Budget Impact Me and Others?
The resource consists of two activities. The first is a notation task based on the information provided about the...
More KS4 (ages 14-16) resources
Social Media and the Law (KS4) (SmartLaw Subscription)
Students explore the law in relation to social media posts, the types of offences that people are committing (whether knowingly or not) and the consequences of these offences. Finally, students…
Be Your Own Councillor
Students examine ways in which a fictional town council could spend its budget. They consider the concerns of different...
Who Owns Your Data?
This ready-to-teach double lesson pack is aimed at students in key stages 4 and 5. During the course of...
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...
Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson introduces students to the concepts of their legal rights and responsibilities and explores how the law impacts their daily lives. Students explore the different ages that various laws…
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…