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
Inspirational People
In this lesson pupils will learn about what it means to be inspirational. They will develop their understanding of the term through looking at real life examples in the media.…
The Power of Giving
In this lesson pupils will read a tale from Japanese folklore which tells of how one small act of generosity leads to big gains. They will think about whether generous…
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 Economics, Money and Managing Resources resources
You Decide! (KS3)
This resource will allow students to critically consider what reasons and ways the government can take to support different...
Who’s Really Paying for COVID?
Young people are, and will continue to be, some of the most impacted by COVID. However their voices have...
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…
More Politics and Democracy resources
Brexit: Part 1 – Referendum
Pupils will be given a brief introduction to the European Union. They will learn about why people’s opinions about the EU are divided and the results of the EU referendum.…
What is a Digital Citizen?
In the delivery of this resource your students will explore what is meant by the term ‘digital citizen’. They...
Mock Parliament Debate
Aimed at students in KS4 and 5 (13-18 year olds) the pack is designed to be delivered over a...
More KS4 (ages 14-16) resources
Mock G7 Pack
The UK hosted the G7 Summit in June 2021. Young Citizens wants to engage young people across the UK...
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...
Biodiversity: Using the Law to Drive Change
During this lesson, students consider what biodiversity is, why it is essential to all life on Earth and what...
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...
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…
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…