Survey launched on council spending cuts

Posted by The Journal on Oct 5, 09 10:57 AM in Councils

Thousands of families across Northumberland are being asked to list their spending and service priorities as their local authority prepares to cut another £25m to £30m from its already-stretched budget

More jobs losses, higher charges and additional cuts to services appear inevitable at Northumberland County Council when it sets its 2010/11 budget - after making efficiency savings of more than £20m in the current financial year.

Now - with tough choices having to be made - the council's opposition Conservative group wants to find out what people across the county see as their top priorities for the resources available.

About 10,000 survey forms are being sent out to households asking for views on how the Liberal Democrat-led council should spend its £400m budget.

The questionnaires will be sent to all parts of Northumberland and will also be available at a special website www.northeastconservatives.com. Yesterday Conservative group leader Peter Jackson said: "Our council faces a difficult financial outlook this year. This means it is more important than ever that councillors know which services matter most to residents.

"We can't be making decisions for 310,000 people, which may have an effect on their daily lives, without asking them what they want. If we want people's real views we have to ask them directly, and a postal survey is the best way of doing that.

"Northumberland Conservatives believe that our county council must start to listen to what people actually want and need, so taxpayers can have a direct say in shaping services for the future. This is the first time that the views of taxpayers have been sought on anything like this scale."

Coun Jackson said the survey would ask people what services they value most, so that Conservative councillors knew which priorities to stand up for.

Council Lib Dem leader Jeff Reid said the administration would be carrying out its own budget consultations, via focus groups, a citizens' panel and a roadshow, and asking people to make choices.

"These are hard times for local government and the NHS. The Government wants to cut public spending by billions and that means reductions in services and tough choices having to be made.''

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