Staff vacancies helped Dorchester Town Council to finish the financial year in a healthy position – although energy and some other costs were higher than anticipated.

The town council has finished the year with more than £1.4million, mainly in allocated earmarked reserves, and about £1.53million in cash and short term investments.

Accounts for the year to April 2023 show a £57,000 underspend on office staff due to vacancies; £22,000 above budget for cemetery income and £24,000 additional interest due to the recent hike in rates.

On the expenditure side there was a £28,000 payment for an undisclosed reason to an un-named former officer; a similar sum on additional energy costs and rates on the Municipal Buildings; and extra spending of about £15,000 on outdoor services, mostly related to additional tree works.

Works over-running on improvements to the Municipal Buildings, which houses the Corn Exchange arts venue, have resulted in a final cost of £2.25million – £38,000 more than reported a year ago, with a further £250,000 earmarked for front of house works to improve the entrance area of the building in the future.

Figures show the council's cash position as £224,000 in the bank, £7,000 in National Savings and Investments earning 0.5%, and £1.3million in a deposit account currently earning 4.15%.

Staffing costs remain the council's biggest expenditure at £809,000 with the Municipal Buildings costing £392,000 for the year and parks and open spaces, which includes play areas, £143,000.

The majority of the council's income comes from its share of the local council tax.

Projects planned for the year include a combination of solar panels and air source heat pumps, expected to cost about £90,000 to provide energy for the Borough Gardens greenhouses and adjoining Borough Gardens House, and improvements to the Cornhill area at the northern end of South Street, including a new seating area close to the Town Pump.