Agenda item

To consider a report detailing the proposals for the budget consultation for 2013/14.

The Head of Communications introduced a briefing note detailing the proposals for the budget consultation for 2013/2014. The proposals sought to capture the lessons learned from the 2012/2013 consultation and it was hoped that greater resident involvement would be encouraged.

Evening meetings were not well attended during the 2012/13 consultation, and as a result the 2013/14 consultation would focus on where conversations were already happening, rather than to set meetings. It was important that residents were aware of meetings that were taking place, and Members wished to see detailed information regarding the consultation in The Reporter’s August edition. The deadline for the August edition was effectively one month before publication, and the location of public meetings may not be known in time. The August edition would inform residents that the budget consultation would run again and to afterwards there would be promotion of the finer details through local media, the Council’s website and social media.

Members had been pleased with the efficiency savings offered by Officers in previous years and felt it would be beneficial if there was an indication in September 2013 of what efficiency savings were to be proposed and other savings that were still required. Members considered it important that the options being considered were clear to residents and that the public were given an idea of the scope for savings in September. The Leader responded that nine areas had been identified through the responses received during the last consultation; three areas were very important to residents, three areas were of interest but not as important and three areas did not interest residents. The Head of Communications had been asked to drill down into the data to establish the areas where there were strong feelings of interest or disinterest. The previous year’s budget had laid the foundation for this year, and the intention was to attach the budget figures to the areas that had been identified as of interest or not to residents.

Members questioned what other local authorities did and whether there was anything the Council could do to improve its consultation. Officers had looked at other Councils and would use online initiatives to engage residents. There was an online tool that used a sliding scale to allow residents to see the effect of putting more funds into an area, and the impact of this on other services, but this was not something the Council planned to implement due to it being very sophisticated and a £5,000 cost. The Leader noted that where the sliding scale had been used by other authorities, it had shown residents to be more interested in spending rather than saving money.

Members felt it was important to ask residents what was not important, as well as what was important. They suggested a box be included in the consultation document which should detail the services offered by the Borough Council and services offered by the County Council. This would help to make the consultation more effective as residents would focus their comments and criticism on what was relevant.

There was no specific target for how many residents the Council wished to engage; the aim was to engage more residents than the previous year and as many people as possible. The Leader did not think setting a target would improve the budget consultation process as it could make Members and Officers complacent when the target had been reached. The Leader was, however, happy to receive any suggestion from Members as to what a target should be. A Member disagreed and felt that targets were required and the good feedback communicated after the 2012/13 consultation was not supported by the number of residents who engaged.

Members noted a presentation on budget issues would be organised by the Head of Business Improvements and Partnerships to the Newcastle Strategic Board, and questioned whether there would be formal comment from the Newcastle Strategic Board. The Leader advised that the proposed budget figures had been presented line by line to the Newcastle Partnership board during the previous consultation and the members of the Board had been asked to take the budget figures back to their organisations to consider the impact of the proposals on their services. The responses received had been non-committal, and for the current budget consultation it could be ensured that that there was a mechanism to record formal representations. The Leader welcomed Members to advise him or the Head of Communications of any organisations or groups in their area that could be attended by Cabinet as part of the consultation and all Members would be asked what events they had in their calendars that could be attended by Cabinet. The formal meeting element of the consultation would be conducted over a one week period, and if there was a location that was not covered as part of the formal meetings, Cabinet would still go and talk to residents in that area.

A Member suggested using the Community Centre Management Committees to distribute information regarding the budget consultation process. The centres had not been used for the previous year’s consultation, but the Head of Communications welcomed any suggestions that were inclusive and would engage residents.

The Committee requested that a further update be received at their next meeting on 2 September 2013, which should include more detail regarding the location of public meetings.

RESOLVED:              That the information be received.