Budget calculator gives Telford & Wrekin residents chance to hold council purse strings
Telford and Wrekin residents are being given the chance to hold the borough’s purse strings and decide which services the council should spend money on.
They are being invited by Telford & Wrekin Council to use a new online consultation tool known as the Budget Calculator.
This new approach has been developed as part of the council’s budget consultation process and the work that the authority is doing to become a Co-operative Council.
It will be launched tomorrow on the Telford & Wrekin Council website and can be found at www.telford.gov.uk/budgetcalculator
The budget calculator, which has already been trialled by local residents, allows people to change the amount that is spent on different council services, how much income is brought in and at the same time see how that affects the amount of council tax they pay.
Part One looks at how money is currently allocated to our day to day services. Users will be asked to indicate how they would balance the budget based on their own priorities while at the same time seeing the impact any changes would have, both on service delivery and council tax levels
Part Two looks at council’s level of borrowing, which is what the council uses to fund long term capital projects to improve the borough, such as road and regeneration schemes. The council is currently reviewing how we manage this money as part of the review of the budget and would welcome people’s views.
Councillor Shaun Davies, cabinet member for Co-operative Council and Partnership, said: “The aim of the budget calculator is all part of our work to become a Co-operative Council.
“It has lots of advantages. It can increase residents’ understanding of the budgetary challenges that the Council faces and how spending more in one area can affect either the ability to spend in another area or the level of council tax that they pay.
Councillor Bill McClements, cabinet member for Resources and Service Delivery, said: “The information submitted by using the calculator can also help to give us a clearer idea of which areas our taxpayers think we should spend their money on and ensure that our budget better reflects what they want to see in Telford and Wrekin.
“As part of becoming a Co-operative Council, we are determined that consultation will be done with residents rather than to them. Giving people access to tools like the budget calculator and being transparent is all part of that.”
