Published on:
07
January 2016
There are just a few weeks left to have your say and let the Council know your priorities as part of the consultation process to help the Council make the tough choices and substantial savings needed to balance its budget.
People have already been using the new online interactive budget simulator, and a series of consultation discussions have been taking place with groups in the community to discuss the budget and to get views on the priorities for spending and saving.
While significant savings have already been made in the past few years, the Council is still facing a substantial funding gap over the next three years.
The innovative new online budget simulator is helping local people and organisations to balance a virtual Council budget, registering their priorities for where money is spent and saved. The Council is required by law to provide certain services like social work, education, planning and environmental health. It also provides or subsidises a wide range of other services such as buses, CCTV, community safety, countryside and heritage management and business development.
Council officers have also produced a number of business cases which put forward other potential areas for budget savings and these are also available online. The closing date for taking part in the consultation is 24 January, and the data and feedback from all these activities will then form part of the information used by councillors who will be making the budget decisions in the coming weeks.
Council Leader Les Sharp said: "The Council wants to know your views on spending and saving the budget, and the innovative budget simulator is a new way for the Council to get that important feedback from residents and organisations in Clackmannanshire.
" I have been out in the community along with my colleagues holding consultation events with local groups and organisations to discuss the hard choices that have to be made to balance the budget. In the remaining few weeks of the consultation, I'd encourage everyone to get online and share your thoughts and priorities so that councillors have as much information as possible to help them make these important and difficult decisions."
The simulator and a budget booklet can be viewed on ClacksWeb where you can also complete an online survey. The consultation runs until 24 January. Staff in your local council office can help you with this if you don't have access to a computer. You can also give your views to your councillor or community councillor, or write to MCB, Clackmannanshire Council, Kilncraigs, Greenside Street, Alloa FK10 1EB.