Question Time comes to Cheshire West and Chester

RESIDENTS of Cheshire West and Chester will have the chance to question members of the council’s cabinet about the current budget consultation, during a live Question Time-style event.

Veteran BBC North West broadcaster Dave Guest will take the chair for the special online event on Thursday, 3 December, between 7pm and 8.30pm.

The event has been organised to seek the public’s views on the council’s recently published budget proposals for 2021-2025. Entitled Unprecedented Times, the online consultation asks for residents’ views to help the council set a balanced budget.

Cheshire West and Chester Council is facing a budget shortfall of between £34m and £43m over the next four years. 

The Council is still awaiting details of its funding allocation as part of the government’s Comprehensive Spending Review, which was announced last week. It is expected that the authority will be told how much it has to spend for the year ahead by mid to late December. 

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Cabinet Member for Legal and Finance, Cllr Carol Gahan, said: “The council faces a challenge over the years ahead in deciding how best to continue to provide the services that people rely upon, in the face of increasing pressure on our budgets. Our most important partners in this decision-making process are the people of our borough. Your views are so important and we have put the call out to everyone to have their say on how we plan for the future in Cheshire West and Chester. We look forward to hearing some of these views at our Question Time event.” 

As well as questions received in advance, the public will also be able to submit questions whilst watching the live event using the feedback button on the webcast. 

Dave Guest, who recently retired from North West Tonight after 38 years, will be fielding questions on the Council budget and the proposals which are currently out for consultation.

Dave said: “It’s great that Cheshire West and Chester Council is choosing to consult with its residents in this way. It’s a good way to get local people actively involved in the democratic process. What I will be doing is making sure that people get the answers to the questions they pose to the cabinet. I am there to challenge and follow-up when necessary and to help stimulate what I believe will be a great debate.”

The Cabinet Question Time event will take place on Thursday 3 December from 7-8.30pm and will be webcast. 

You can view it on the night at: cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/news-and-views/webcasts.aspx

Pictured - Veteran BBC North West broadcaster Dave Guest.