Budget consultation

DUNDONIANS will have a chance to share their views on the city council’s spending priorities before the budget is set early next year.

This year’s consultation comes amid the cost of living crisis, continuing pressures on local council budgets, increasing demands on some key services and growing expectations.

Willie Sawers, depute convener of Dundee City Council’s policy and resources committee and spokesperson on finance said: “We consistently hear from more than 1000 people each year during the budget consultation exercise and it’s their views that help us to identify what the council’s spending priorities should be.

“With the pressure that councils are under it’s even more important that we ensure as many people as possible take part this year in particular and tell us where they think the council’s limited resources should be focussed before the difficult decisions are taken.”

Depending on funding settlements, the council expects to have to save up to £45m in the next four years, with the latest financial projections suggesting that savings in the region of £16m will be needed in the next financial year (2023/24).

The council has already adopted a 13-point medium-term financial strategy which includes:

•             savings and efficiencies to be driven by transformation and service prioritisation

•             resources being prioritised to improve outcomes;

•             demand and demographic change will be managed through prioritisation within services;

•             Joint bodies and boards will bear their share of any General Revenue Grant reduction; and

•             fees, charges and Council Tax will increase by at least 3% annually.

Cllr Sawers added: “The council has a good track record of effective budget management, meaning that we go into this period of financial planning from a relatively strong position.

“This, combined with other information including feedback from the consultation, is pulled together to help inform the decision-making process and supports the council to better understand exactly what the people of Dundee are thinking.

“Everyone who lives and works in the city has a stake in the council and our decisions will directly affect them, so it is vital that as many of them as possible take part in the conversation and give us greater insight that we can use to base our financial decisions on.”

Dundee City Council’s budget consultation launches today (Monday) and can be found at https://bit.ly/BudgetConsultation23-24

It will be open until November 20.

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