Minutes:
Cllr Dacres explained the context for the Lewisham Big Budget Challenge Lewisham Council needs to find savings worth £85m over the next three years to balance its budget in the face of Government cuts to its funding. Lewisham’s Mayor and councillors will be making decision over the coming months and are keen to know where communities would continue spending money and where money could possibly be saved.
Adrian Wardle, Head of the Council’s Communications Unit delivered a presentation and Q&A session entitled ‘The Big Budget Challenge’ which addresses how the Council currently spends its money, where the money comes from, what services the Council provides for the community, how the Council’s income is being cut, how and when decisions will be made and how to get involved in helping the Mayor and councillors make the necessary, tough decisions.
The Lewisham Big Budget Challenge is your chance to have a go at
balancing the Council’s books and to choose your own way to trim the
budget using the online budget simulator. For more information visit
www.lewisham.gov.uk/bigbudgetchallenge
The meeting were informed that the online Budget simulation was one of a range of consultation methods available to local people to have their say on the big budget challenge. The results of all of the consultations will be collated by the council and used to help reach an informed decision around future budget allocations.
Questions were invited from the floor.
Q)Are the level of cuts likely to change if there is a change in government?
A)Yes. There will still be budgetary challenges but possibly less far reaching.
Q) Are suggestions made on the Online Budget Simulator anonymously? If so why?
A) Yes, submissions can be anonymous though a post code will be required to ensure geographical eligibility. The option for anonymity has been offered to help reduce barriers to engagement, and encourage use of the simulator in confidence.
Q) Can you make more than one submission?
A) Yes it is possible to make more than one submission.
Q) How will
the potential for multiple submissions be weighed up when
collating
consultation results?
A) The
Online Budget Simulator provide a snap shot of views, opinions, and
priorities through an immediate and
interactive process and is used alongside more robust traditional
consultation methods.
The potential for multiple submissions will be considered when
compiling results. Post codes will be
required to ensure geographical eligibility
Concerns
were raised that on line consultation
methods disproportionately affect the poorest and those without
access to technology.
A) A range of consultation methods to include attending meetings in the community, completing questionnaires, and feeding views to ward Councillors are also available to help reduce potential barriers to engagement that may result from lack of access to technology
Q) How much power will local people have to affect the consultation?
A) All responses will be collated by LBL Communications team.
Findings and responses will be presented and discussed at the Mayor and Cabinet and the full council meetings in November 2014. Meetings are open to the public.
Q) Could you change the way council tax is collected so that it is not so regressive?
A) Council Tax is based on property ratings set via central government and cannot be changed locally.
There were
discussions around a range of potential sources of income
generation including from empty
buildings, setting up lettings agencies, and maximising green
energy.
A) All potential areas for income generation will be
considered
Q) Could we reduce costs by reducing the number of Ward Councillors, cutting council staff wages and reducing consultancy fees?
A number of steps have already been taken in this area to include a freeze on Cllr allowances, the Chief Executive working part time to save funds, and consultants engaged to provide specific skills to deliver time limited projects reducing additional costs to the council such as redundancy payments when projects are completed.
All roles and areas of service delivery will be under consideration in the big budget challenge process.
Q) Can funds be raised through parking charges?
A) Central Government do not allowed the use of funds raised through parking to make up the budgets of other service areas.
There was a short break where those in attendance were invited to try out the on line budget simulator available www.lewisham.gov.uk/bigbudgetchallenge