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
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…
Economic Cycles
This free classroom resource explores what economic cycles are and how they impact our lives. Aimed at KS4 and...
The Internet: a Power for Good
In this lesson pupils consider how the internet can be a power for good and support active citizenship. Pupils explore a range of case studies before being challenged to identify…
More Economics, Money and Managing Resources resources
Why Do We Pay Taxes? (Part 2)
Pupils will learn that councils are responsible for local spending decisions and can raise additional funds for public services through council taxes. To access this content, register for our School…
You Decide! (KS4)
This resource will allow students to critically consider what reasons and ways the government can take to support different...
Be Your Own Councillor
Students examine ways in which a fictional town council could spend its budget. They consider the concerns of different...
More Politics and Democracy resources
The G7 (Lesson Plan)
During this two lesson resource pupils learn about the G7 and take part in a mock G7 Summit meeting. During the first lesson pupils explore the history and function…
All at Sea: a story about fairness and the rule of law
During this lesson pupils use the story ‘All at Sea’ to explore how a group of citizens should organise a new society under a challenging set of circumstances. Each chapter…
What is Democracy?
This resource pack is the first of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...
More KS4 (ages 14-16) resources
Democracy Ambassadors
What was Democracy Ambassadors? Between April 2018 and March 2019 Young Citizens worked with youth leaders to recruit 1,000...
Climate Action: Circular Economies
During this lesson students explore how the economy can be used to support climate action and create a more...
Citizenship: a privilege or a right?
Students research what the law says about the rights of individuals to become UK citizens and critically examine whether...
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...
Mock G7 Pack
The UK hosted the G7 Summit in June 2021. Young Citizens wants to engage young people across the UK...
What is Democracy?
This resource pack is the first of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...