Appendix 4
BUDGET CONSULTATION 2008/09
1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1
The first stage of budget consultation in relation to the council’s 2008/09 budget was
completed in November 2007 and this report informs members of the results.
2.
CONSULTATION FRAMEWORK
2.1
The budget consultation process for the 2008/09 budget has comprised a number of
elements with the aim of attracting an increased number of responses from a
reasonable cross-section of the population of the city, including :



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Big Listening consultation group
Budget consultation database (including community committee members)
Distribution of questionnaires by Eccles CVS and Age Concern
Questionnaires in libraries and public buildings
Salford City Council website via an on-line form and e-mail
2.2
The results of the consultation can now be reported for consideration by the
committee in relation to the development of the council’s budget and council tax
level for 2008/09.
2.3
The number of responses on which the results are based are as follows :Consultation Group
Big Listening
Budget consultation database
Questionnaires
issued
7000
Number of
responses
1163
% response
2590
82
3
Website and e-mail
Total
17
18
9590
1263
13
2.4
Significantly more questionnaires were issued in 2007 than 2006 so although the
response rate was lower the total number of responses at 1263 represents a 50%
overall increase.
3.
CONSULTATION RESULTS
3.1
Overall results combining Big Listening and all other completed questionnaires – a
total of 1263 responses – were as follows :-
1
Services people thought more money should be spent on
Community committees
Libraries, museums & art galleries
Sport centres & swimming pools
Street lighting
Refuse collection
Economic development & regeneration
Service
Housing services
Traffic management & road safety
Parks & open spaces
Street cleaning
Recycling
Youth services & facilities
Education
Maintenance of roads & pavements
Health & social care
Crime & community safety
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
Proportion of total replies
The top three services that residents felt more money should be spent on :
 Crime and community safety
 Health and social care
 Maintenance of roads and pavements
Were also the top three choices in the 2005 and 2006 budget consultation questionnaires.
2
Services people thought less money should be spent on
Crime & community safety
Maintenance of roads & pavements
Health & social care
Education
Street cleaning
Refuse collection
Service
Parks & open spaces
Recycling
Street lighting
Youth services & facilities
Traffic management & road safety
Economic development & regeneration
Housing services
Libraries, museums & art galleries
Sport centres & swimming pools
Community committees
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Proportion of total replies
Council Tax and Value for Money
Response to question: In 2007/08 the average council tax paid
in Salford was £941 per household. Which of the following
options for next year do you feel is most appropriate?
An increase in council tax above 3% in order to
improve priority council services
A decrease in council tax levels even if it meant a
reduction in the level of services
Council tax to remain at the current level with
some reduction in the level of service
An increase in council tax of 3% to maintain
council services at existing levels
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Percentage %
3
Opinions on council tax and value for money
Do you agree/disagree with the following
statement: Salford city council has its level of
council tax about right
Do you agree/disagree with the following
statement: Salford city council provides better
value for money compared to a year ago
Do you agree/disagree with the following
statement: Salford city council provides good
value for money for the council tax that
residents pay
0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Total proportion who agree / disagree
%
Satisfaction with council services
Overall satisfaction level with the services provided by Salford
City Council
Satisfied
Dissatisfied
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Total proportion who are satisfied / dissatisfied
%
The overall level of satisfaction with council services at 58% represents a 10% increase on
the views given in the 2006 questionnaire.
3.2
Where residents were dissatisfied with council services they were asked to state the
service they were dissatisfied with and reasons. In both the Big Listening survey and
from other questionnaires the two main areas of dissatisfaction were :-
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
Environmental Services
o Issues with recycling services
o Bins not emptied or waste left
o Dirty streets, fly tipping and litter

Transport Services
o Poor state of roads and pavements
o Quality of street lighting
Comments were also received on a wide range of issues, including :

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

3.3
Closing high achieving schools
Lack of funding for social services
Walkden town centre is run down
Lack of youth services and facilities
Level of rent arrears
Parking in Swinton town centre
Call Centre is difficult to contact
Lack of police presence
Some comments were also made about the level of council tax and council
efficiency including:



Council Tax should not increase by more than the rate of inflation
The cost of bureaucracy need to be considered separately from the direct
cost of maintaining services
Too many council employees
4.
PUBLIC MEETING
4.1
The second stage of the Council’s consultation process was a public meeting held at
the Civic Centre on 15th January 2008. The meeting was attended by 20 members of
the public and 13 councillors (including the panel).
4.2
At the meeting a wide range of issues were raised and put to a panel of councillors
representing the three political parties. The issues raised by the public included :

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
Building on the improvement in educational results
Community Committees – lack of communication with residents
s106 – how much has been received, spent, unused
Contribution to the Lowry
Investment in parks and green spaces
Investment in improving roads and pavements
High ratio of staff to the population
Level of expenditure on marketing
Level of increase in councillors allowances
Level of employee sickness
Impact of equal pay settlements
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
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Contribution to the BBC Philharmonic
Climate change
Bus services
Population increase
Potential to use council reserves to balance the budget
Provision for inflation included in the budget
4.3
A report on the issues raised at the public meeting will be considered at the meeting
of the Budget Scrutiny Committee on 30th January 2008 and an overall summary of
the consultation results will be included in the budget report to Cabinet and the
Council in February 2008.
4.4
In order to get feedback on the format and effectiveness of the public meeting it is
proposed to ask members of the public who attended for their views and ideas for
the future.
John Spink
City Treasurer
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