RESIDENTS and businesses across Teignbridge are being asked to help shape next year’s budget by taking part in the council’s annual budget survey.
With finances tight, costs increasing and government funding falling in recent years, residents and businesses are being asked what services the council should prioritise when it comes to allocating budgets.
Councils are required by law to provide certain services, such as bin collections, but others such as leisure centres, community transport or toilets are optional.
With funding not keeping pace with inflation, there are difficult choices to be made by councillors in next year’s budget on how funding should be allocated across services that the council is not required by law to provide.
The council’s survey, which is a key part of the annual budget setting process, asks residents to help identify spending priorities by telling it the services that are most important to them.
And it wants to know what residents and businesses think is the best way to tackle any budget deficit - by making budget savings, reducing discretionary services, generating more income or increasing council tax?
The short survey, which went live today [Wednesday, December 20], runs until noon on Friday, February 2 and feedback from it will be reported to councillors before they make any budget decisions for the next financial year.