29/10/14

Have your say on the Budget Survey!

Rochford District Council is carrying out a Budget Survey to find out how you want your council tax to be spent.

Friday, January 16, is the deadline for answering the questionnaire, which offers you the chance to have your say in what the District Council’s priorities should be when it decides its budget for the next 12 months.

Local Government authorities are currently facing some of the most financially challenging times in recent history, which means that we have to make difficult decisions on the services and level of service we provide. We want to ensure that the money we do get is spent on the services our residents want and value the most.

As we consider next year’s budget, we would like the views of you as a resident, or business in the District, about what services are important to you.

This year, the survey includes some new questions, including one around flooding issues. While the Council is not responsible for flood prevention, it has created the Forum for Surface Water Flooding Issues to seek to assist with resolving problems for residents. The District Council allocated £18,000 in 2014/15 for projects to alleviate flooding and we want to know whether you would be happy to see an increase in expenditure to resolve these types of issues, even where they are not the District Council’s responsibility.

You can fill in the survey in the following ways:

#

1. It will be available in the latest edition of council newspaper Rochford District Matters (Winter);

2. The survey is available online, simply log on to www.rochford.gov.uk/budgetsurvey

3. Hard copies of the survey are available in the reception areas of the Rochford District Council offices in South Street and the Rayleigh Civic Suite on Hockley Road;

4. Hard copies of the survey will be available in libraries across the District as of Wednesday, November 5.

5. If you are unable to fill in the survey by any of these methods then you can call the Council and we will ensure that you get one. Call Andrew Lowing on 01702 546366 or email: communityplanning@rochford.gov.uk

The Leader of Rochford District Council, Councillor Terry Cutmore, said: “Local Government continues to face some of the most financially challenging times in recent history, which means that we have to make hard decisions on the services and level of service we provide. As we look at next year’s budget, we would like the views of you as a resident, or business in the District, about what services you would be willing to see prioritised, reduced, or charged for. We need to know what services are important to you, as these budgetary decisions are going to be extremely difficult, and we want to ensure the choices we make are the right ones. The survey really is practical and can make a huge difference to the lives of residents. For example, as Councillors, we are extremely aware of people’s concerns about flooding issues. Even though we are not responsible for flood prevention as a District Council, we obviously want to do all we can to help protect people’s homes and businesses. Therefore, we need to know whether you would be happy for us to increase expenditure to resolve flooding issues, even where these are not the District Council’s responsibility. This example shows exactly why your voice needs to be heard – and why I would urge you to spare a few minutes to fill in this survey.”