Not too late to have your say about ‘Choices in challenging times’

Over the last six weeks, Cheshire West and Chester Council has been asking the public for its views on how to balance its budget in challenging times, and it’s not too late to have your say.

A public consultation was launched in October giving local people the opportunity to share their views. With publicity having had to be limited during the run up to the Chester by-election, the consultation will now run for an extra day until Monday 5 December 2022. 

Feedback from the consultation is carefully recorded and considered and will inform decisions Councillors make, on 16 February next year, on the overall Council budget.  

The Council currently spends £862million on services for local people, which have an impact on everyone’s lives and futures.  These services range from schools to social care and support for vulnerable families, from public protection to economic growth and from libraries to highways and street cleaning, plus many more.

Financial pressures, the increase in demand for some services, and inflation are all taking their toll on what the Council can deliver, leading to increasingly challenging choices having to be made.

Leader of the Council Councillor Louise Gittins said: “We are in the middle of a social and economic crisis. We know that the cost of living is making it hard for many local people to make ends meet.

“Like organisations up and down the country, our costs have gone up. We also have increasing numbers of children and adults with complex needs that need our help, placing pressure on our finances. Now, accelerating costs and inflation are squeezing out the headroom available in our capital programme to invest in our borough’s future. 

“We will put all our efforts in continuing to provide help within the resources we have available. Overall, we could face a funding gap of around £105 million over the next four years.  After additional business rates and council tax income are accounted for, alongside existing savings proposals that we have already consulted on, the gap remains around £42 million, with £19 million we need to bridge in the first two years.

 “This represents the biggest funding challenge faced by this Council in its history.  And it may yet increase in severity.

 “Our proposed response is to be innovative, and in line with our values. We want to protect the vulnerable who depend on our help. We want to introduce new ways of working that are as efficient and effective as possible, and to invest in prevention to avoid more people requiring more expensive care.  However, some incredibly difficult decisions may need to be considered, informed by your views.  

“I’d like to thank all those who have already taken part in the consultation, and I urge more people to take part in it. Your responses matter, now more than ever. Have your say and play your part in shaping your services and helping us make hard decisions.” 

Cllr Carol Gahan, Lead Member for Legal and Finance said: “The Council has been recognised for strong financial management and this continues in our approach to engaging residents on how we spend our scarce resources.  But we face a stark financial challenge. We must plan for the next two years, and a future beyond that. We need our residents’ views on some of the ideas we are proposing to address the budget gap in the medium term. 

“These ideas include areas where we could save money but also areas we want to protect.

"This year, as well as commenting on the budget proposals, local people can have a go at a Budget Simulator Challenge which asks, ‘If it was up to you, how would you spend the Council’s budget?’."

Here’s how you can have your say.  

• Visit: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/choices to find out about the budget proposals, complete a survey and try out the budget simulator.
• Email your views to: councilbudget@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
• Write to: Choices in challenging times, Insight and Intelligence, Cheshire West and Chester Council, The Portal, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BA.
• Call the Council’s Contact Centre on: 0300 123 8123 quoting ‘Choices in challenging times’ to give your thoughts. 
• Pick up a paper questionnaire from your local library.  Alternative formats are also available on request.