https://yourvoicebucks.citizenspace.com/corporate-services/budget-2024-25/
We want to know which services you think should be the main priorities in our budget for next year, and what you think about our plans for how next year’s budget should be spent.
In recent years, financial pressures have had a huge impact on families, businesses and organisations.
Councils can’t escape these impacts and are facing sharply rising costs at the same time as more and more people are finding themselves in need of support.
Continuing to provide our main services such as waste collection, planning and road maintenance whilst also supporting our local children and adults in need is challenging.
To ensure we can continue to help the most vulnerable, we are having to make difficult decisions around money and how we provide our services going forward.
Countrywide, councils are facing huge financial challenges. You may have seen in the news that a number of councils have stated that they cannot meet their costs.
In comparison, we remain in a relatively stable position. This is in large part because, since becoming a unitary in 2020, we have worked hard to become ever more efficient and reduce running costs.
So far, we have delivered £45m additional savings and income, with a further £43.9m of savings and income proposed by the end of 2025. That’s a total £89m of savings and income over our first five years as a council – equivalent to 18% of our net budget for 2023 to 2024.
However, we are also experiencing the impact of rising costs and rising demand and need to take difficult decisions as we plan for the future in order to be sure that we continue to remain financially balanced.
Now we are looking for your feedback.
We are working up plans for the council’s 2024 to 2025 budget and we need you to tell us how you think we should be spending your money.
In considering your response, please do take time to reflect on the wider needs of the whole of Buckinghamshire in addition to the specific priorities for yourself, your family, your immediate community, your business or your organisation.
Full info via the link at the top of the page