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
Protecting Local Habitats (KS2)
In this lesson pupils will learn about the importance of habitats and explore endangered British species and the threats to their habitat. Pupils will be guided through ways in which…
Preventing Infectious Diseases
This lesson should be delivered as a follow-up to the lesson ‘What is an infectious disease?’ In this lesson pupils will recap their knowledge of infectious diseases, they will then…
Tongue: The Power of Words
In this lesson pupils will read a tale adapted from Carib tradition which tells of how words can be used for good or bad. In discussion, pupils will consider the…
More Economics, Money and Managing Resources resources
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…
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…
Create a Local Council Budget
Students critically consider the needs of a fictitious town and how to spend it’s £250 million budget wisely. Working...
More Politics and Democracy resources
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...
COVID and the Economy
During this session, students will critically examine some of the key economic considerations of the pandemic. They will explore...
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
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…
Law Makers (SmartLaw Subscription)
In this lesson students examine what the rule of law is and why we need it. They consider how and why laws are made in the UK and what the…
Sexting and the Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson explores what the law says in relation to the sending of sexually explicit images by those aged under 18. The lesson examines two scenarios of young people involved…
More KS5 (ages 16-18) resources
Climate Action: Circular Economies
During this lesson students explore how the economy can be used to support climate action and create a more...
Housing Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
In this lesson students explore a range of different housing situations someone can find themselves in. They examine some of the common legal issues concerning housing including common landlord and…
Mock Parliament Debate
Aimed at students in KS4 and 5 (13-18 year olds) the pack is designed to be delivered over a...
More resource packs
Related content
Democracy resources for ages 11-18
Political resources for secondary and post –16 students.