Beginner
60 mins
Teacher/Student led
+75 XP
Teacher-led from the board. Pupils do not need a device, but can follow on one.

Who Pays, and Who Decides?

Read a county council income table and build a bar chart of its money sources. Discuss who decides on the budget and who has no say. Share out a fixed sum and name who gains or loses.

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    1 - Where Are We? ~5 mins

    This table shows where one county council planned to get its day-to-day money for 2026.

    The table: Clare County Council's income, 2026

    What do you notice first?

    Where does a council's money come from, and who decides how it is spent?

    2 - Read and Learn ~8 mins

    Let's find out what a county council is, and what a budget is for.

    3 - Build the Income Chart ~15 mins

    The same Clare figures are in the table on the board. The chart is empty.

    The table: Clare County Council's income, 2026

    The short labels on the chart match the table like this:

    • Grants means government grants.
    • Charges means goods and services (rents, parking, fees).
    • Business rates means commercial rates from businesses.
    • Property tax means local property tax on homes.

    Which bar is tallest?

    About how much is planned from commercial rates and local property tax together?

    What does the tallest bar tell us about where most of this money is planned to come from?

    Clare County Council income, 2026

    4 - Write It in Your Copy ~3 mins

    COPYBOOK MOMENT

    In your copy, finish these two lines in your own words:

    Most of this council's day-to-day money is planned to come from ...

    I know because the chart and table show ...

    5 - Who Has a Say? ~10 mins

    The chart and table show where the money is planned to come from. Now look at who decides how it is spent.

    Elected councillors vote on the budget each November.

    Who has a clear say when the yearly budget is agreed?

    Who has little or no say, even though they use the roads, the library or the park?

    Pupil practice · Activity Sheet
    Module 1 · Who Runs Our Place, and for Whom?
    Lesson 1 · Who Pays, and Who Decides?
    Download Activity Sheet (PDF)
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    This lesson is copyright of Coding Ireland 2017 - 2026. Unauthorised use, copying or distribution is not allowed.
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