Argyll and Bute discusses its budget plans
Our neighbouring authority, Argyll and Bute, does consultation in a big way. From October 13th to December 6th 2011, residents were encouraged to participate in events and activities designed to produce real public involvement in discussing what plans should be made for the 2012 budget.
An online budget simulator allowed respondents to devise budget scenarios and leave comments, and the budget consultation web pages recorded more than 1,200 hits during the consultation period. Webchats with the council leader and the senior management team were facilitated. Those without computers were not forgotten, and postcards and comment boxes were provided in the public areas of 63 council-run facilities. Emails were sent to 54 community councils, and the council commissioned Argyll Voluntary Action (AVA) to carry out a consultation on the budget with ‘hard to reach’ groups. Information was sent to all the local press, generating articles in every one of the main local papers, and A&B were sending out three tweets every day of the six-week consultation.
Councillor Dick Walsh, leader of Argyll and Bute Council, said: ‘Our aim was to engage with the widest possible cross section of the Argyll and Bute community, and we took on board people’s suggestions as to how we might reach the maximum number of residents. We set out the financial challenges we face as a result of the reduction in overall public sector finance, and asked our residents for their views and responses to various questions.’ He continued, ‘Our job is to ensure that – wherever possible – we safeguard and invest in the areas which people have told us they most want to protect, while at the same time identifying the necessary savings to ensure we can balance our budget. I believe the draft proposals published later this week will provide a solid basis on which to achieve that. We have listened to what people have said to us, and will continue to consider how best to take account of their views.’
The budget papers were published on Thursday January 26th – and at least nobody can say they weren’t consulted. Hats off to Argyll and Bute.
