Fewer than 300 people responded to Angus Council’s budget consultation ahead of the authority rising to the biggest fiscal challenge in its history when the financial road map for 2011-12 is laid out next month.
The council sought feedback over almost six weeks from the end of November, and despite admitting the response rate was very small, Angus Alliance leader Bob Myles last night said it had been a worthwhile exercise that will become a regular part of the budget-setting programme.
“Accepting that the number of responses received represents a very small portion of the adult population of Angus, the views of nearly 300 people nevertheless gives us a valuable snapshot of public opinion and I am therefore grateful to those who submitted their feedback,” said Mr Myles.
“The purpose of the budget consultation the first carried out by the council was to let people know about the financial challenges we face and the measures we may have to consider to address them.”
Mr Myles said the feedback received indicated broad agreement from respondents, with both the priorities set out and the savings approach the council was proposing.
“Of those who responded 57% (155 people) agreed with the five priority areas the council, police, health and fire and rescue agencies and our other community planning partners plan to focus our increasingly limited resources on.
“Of the remaining responses 18% (49 people) disagreed and 25% (69 people) indicated that they were not sure about, the priorities.
“In relation to the budget proposals 49% (103 people) agreed that the approach being considered by the council to deliver the savings needed for 2011-12 is the correct one.
“Of the remaining responses, 26% (62 people) disagreed and 30% (70 people) indicated that they were not sure about the proposed approach.”
He continued, “From now on public consultation will be an integral part of our budget setting process.
“The council has to find ways of delivering £23 million of savings by 2014 and it is vital that we continue to speak to residents about how that might be done.”