Simple terms explainer

Councils must keep a special account that tracks money borrowed to pay for big projects. When the council borrows money, it records how much was borrowed and then repays it gradually from its regular budget. This helps make sure the council doesn’t take on too much debt and that repayments are spread fairly over time, matching the life of the asset (like a building or road).

Legal status

Statutory


Duty category

Finance


Duty type

Compliance


Social determinant of health

Economic stability

Emerging policy and legislation


1

Bodies with shared interest

Audit Scotland
Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)

Standards and frameworks


3