‘Your Voice Matters’ Council launches consultation ahead of 2022/23 Budget

Date: 
Friday, 27 August, 2021


Cllr Polson and Cllr MoodyThe Council has today (Friday 27 August) launched its  ‘Your Voice Matters’ budget and priorities consultation, ahead of meeting to agree the 2022/23 budget early next year.

Joint Council Leader Andrew Polson is encouraging everyone in East Dunbartonshire to participate, explaining, “As we highlight in this consultation, over £90 million has been saved from our budget in the past decade and with estimates of further savings of over £23 million in the coming years, balancing the budget is ever more challenging.  Everyone has a voice and we want to hear your views on our priorities and where savings can be made and income can be increased.

“We want as many people as possible to participate – particularly in light of the unprecedented impact of the Covid pandemic over the past 17 months, and what that means for the months and years ahead. We are making our consultation and engagement information available throughout the local area as well as on a dedicated consultation page on our website.”

The consultation page is live on the Council website at your voice matters from Monday 30 August and will run until 18 November. 

The consultation document and survey form will also be available in printed form from:

  • Community hubs (Bearsden, Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch, Lennoxtown)
  • Community centres
  • Twechar Healthy Living & Enterprise Centre
  • Libraries
  • Leisure centres 

Joint Council Leader Vaughan Moody added, “The Covid pandemic has not gone away so we are not in a position to hold community engagement sessions, but we will be sharing our budget consultation materials far and wide with our community partners and a wide range of groups to ensure we reach as many people as possible.  We’ll also be engaging with our schools and with our employees as we encourage participation in the coming 12 weeks.

“It’s important that we raise awareness of the wide range of services we deliver and what this costs – and to hear your views on what our priorities should be within our financial constraints and your thoughts on council tax or charging increases to bridge the funding gap.”

The consultation will run for 12 weeks until 18 November.  The findings will then be analysed and reported to Council on 16 December to inform budget proposals for 2022/23.

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