Your chance to influence council spending

Local public services are preparing for the big squeeze. Council budgets, like your own household expenses, are subject to a range of pressures and demands outside our control. But we have to take action to deal with these and we called on residents to tell us how they would prioritise our spending.

Efficiency, efficiency, efficiency
The best way to minimise the impact of the squeeze on public services is to improve efficiency.
 
We’ve saved over £7million through efficiencies in the last two years, but the money has gone to meeting the additional demand for services due to the recession and the town’s growing population. Further efficiencies are being found, for example by providing more joined-up public services, using the latest technology and by working more closely with the private sector.

Efficiencies alone won’t be enough to plug the anticipated financial hole as government grants to local councils are cut in the years ahead. This leaves us with the difficult job of deciding which services will receive less money. National opinion polls tell us that the public also recognise that reductions in public services are inevitable.

Results

Click here to view the report of findings from the budget consultation.

Click here to view the report from the meeting held with Bournemouth People First about the Council's budget.

Results of this and other consultations are available on the Consultation Tracker.