Over 150 responses were made to the budget consultation initiated by Aberdeenshire councillors Paul Johnston and Martin Ford.
The councillors’ consultation on Aberdeenshire Council’s revenue budget through to 2018 – a period expected to see the authority having to make spending cuts totalling up to £50 million – was launched just before Christmas.
The consultation sought views on what the Council could do to effect savings, and what priorities should be for the available budget.
Cllr Paul Johnston said:
“We would like to thank everyone who took the time to respond to our consultation. We will consider the responses carefully and take them into account, along with other information, in formulating budget proposals for the years ahead.”
Green councillor Martin Ford added:
“Of course, those responding to the consultation expressed a variety of views. But there are some suggestions for savings and what priorities should be that were supported by a significant proportion of respondents.”
The budget consultation by councillors Johnston and Ford was publicised through the local press and social media. A total of 152 people responded on-line or in writing and 95 per cent stated they were Aberdeenshire residents. Respondents were self-selecting from amongst those aware of the consultation.
Not all of the respondents answered all of the questions included in the consultation questionnaire.
Findings include:
- Over a third of respondents chose investing in renewable energy projects that could generate income as their first choice for helping to close Aberdeenshire Council’s budget gap.
- On average, respondents wanted to see a higher proportion of the Council’s budget spent on leisure, arts, libraries and museums, and a lower proportion spent on administration, legal services, senior management and councillors.
- Nearly half of respondents supported moving funding from roads maintenance to facilities for cycling.
- Eight out of every ten respondents agreed or strongly agreed that spending on services for the elderly will have to be at least maintained in future years.
A full summary of the budget questionnaire responses can be viewed here.
Aberdeenshire Council will set its revenue budget for the next financial year, and provisionally for future years, on 12 February.
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Strange that the responders appear to almost all have green policies, where was the request publicised? I never saw it at all.
Stop investing in wind farms as this technology is a drain on the public finance £1.8 billion has been paid to operators since May 2007 in the form of a subsidy known as the Renewable Obligation. National Grid has paid out almost £80 million to wind farm operators in Scotland since 2010 to shut down their turbines and keep them idle. Operators are paid by the government to build them and paid by the national grid to keep them shut down win win for the operator lose lose for the bill payer.
http://www.sundaypost.com/news-views/scotland/salmond-s-great-wind-farm-rip-off-1.271296
Bill – what is “strange” about respondents favouring the policies above?
Also, are any of Councillors Johnston or Ford your local Councillor? If not, then that may be why you did not see the request publicised.