Powys County Council Budget Consultation

Powys County Council (PCC) is currently running an on-line public consultation exercise regarding the choices it faces inn making £27m worth of savings over the next three years. The consultation runs until 30 November 2015

The exercise is being conducted using an on-line budget ‘simulator’ which allows respondents to set spending levels in key areas of the Council’s services and also see explanations of the practical impacts this will have upon those services. The budget areas under consideration are: Highways Transport and Recycling; Adult Social Care and Housing; Children’s Services; Schools; Culture and Recreation; Central Support Services; and Regeneration and Property. (A more detailed list of

proposals for the services affected can be viewed at: http://tinyurl.com/nb5h8nz)

Why is This Important?

· These are services areas which are important to the members and service users of a wide range of community and voluntary organisations.

· Changes to PCC’s services will potentially have significant ‘knock on’ consequences upon the demand for services provided by community and voluntary organisations.

· There is a strong emphasis upon PCC’s need to work more closely with others (particularly voluntary organisations and volunteers) in the future to meet current service needs or deliver them in new and different ways. However, there is no indication within the budget simulator of the Authority maintaining or increasing the funding and support necessary to make this practical.

· The budget option for the Regeneration and Property budget includes reducing grant funding for voluntary groups

How to Respond

· The consultation is targeted at Powys Residents, rather than organisations, so for this reason it is the number of responses (rather than who makes them) which will have an impact. For this reason you may wish to encourage the individual members of your community group or organisation to respond.

· You can make your response at: https://powyscc.budgetsimulator.com/, it will take about 10 minutes to complete.

· If you don’t want to do the simulator or have other ideas and comments to submit to PCC you can send them to consultation@powys.gov.uk

· Your organisation and members may wish to send your views and comments upon the budget options and proposals directly to your local county councillor and/or the Portfolio Holder responsible for the budget areas you may have a concern about. Their contact details are available at: http://www.powys.gov.uk/en/elections/find-out-who-my-councillor-is/