Like the new town councils, the Charter Trustees used to set a council tax precept, and worked to a budget. Just like the town councils, the Charter Trusts budgets are in the public domain and searchable on the BCP Council website. The one big difference is that the town councils can purchase property, and look outside of BCP for options. The Charter Trusts had far more restrictions on what they could do, as we found out to our cost after giving out some, Poole Charter Trustees could not give grants. Town councils should be largely non political, and should be about improving the towns or parishes for their residents.