Last time we heard about the public’s involvement with budget-setting being spoken about in the council chamber, Cllr Ian Ward stated that those who take part in the budget consultation meetings weren’t ‘ordinary people’.
He questioned how the ‘anti-pfi group’ managed to be involved – adding that they were ‘not normal people’ and suggested that the young people there had pressure put on them by the youth clubs about what to say.
We wonder how he will feel about those taking part this year? This in from Isle of Wight council, in their own words, Ed
Residents are being asked to help shape next year’s Isle of Wight Council budget.
The authority has launched its annual budget consultation that once again includes an online simulator that gives residents the opportunity to say where savings should made and what areas should be the spending priorities for the council.
Make your views known
The council consults with residents, groups and organisations each year in the run up to the annual budget-setting meeting but, following feedback, it has brought the process forward this year to give residents the chance to make their views known at an earlier stage of the budget setting process.
Another change is that this year’s online simulator is wider in scope giving those participating more options for how they suggest the council directs its resources or makes savings, again based on the feedback received last year.
Public meetings
Besides the simulator, the consultation also involves a series of meetings at which representatives of Island interest groups and organisations will be invited. The first of these meetings – for the business community – took place on Tuesday (July 3).
Other workshops are scheduled with trade unions, community and voluntary sector groups, parish and town councils, ward councillors, council staff and members of the Island’s residents’ panel.
Views taken on board
The views of those taking part will be taken on board as the budget proposals take shape ahead of the annual budget setting meeting in February next year. This will include presenting the feedback from the consultation to the budget review that will be part of September’s Full Council meeting.
Council leader David Pugh urged residents to make their views known through the consultation process.
“Once again we have to set a budget that prepares us for the harsh financial realities that face us in the next two-three years, so we are keen to hear the views of residents to help us do this,” he said.
“We listened to the feedback that residents gave us last year and, as a result, are bringing the whole process forward this year to give them more time to give their opinions and to allow more time to take the views raised into account. This feedback is particularly helpful to us when we determine where we should prioritise our limited resources.”
£33 million funding gap
Due largely to reduced funding from Government, the council has had to address a funding gap of £33 million.
It will have found 80 per cent of this by the end of the current financial year and needs to find a further £2.5 million in 2013/14. However the council is also pointing out that whilst this may be a smaller amount than in previous years, budget forecasts indicate a potential budget gap of £22m that will need to be met by 2016-17.
The budget simulator – which will be available until August 6 – can be viewed on the following link: www.iwight.com/haveyoursay
Image: AndYaDontStop under CC BY 2.0
