Budget consultation results
Between 16 October and 1 December 2009, we used an online budget simulator to consult local residents on their spending and budgetary priorities for the year ahead. Here are the headline results and detailed report. The results and the report were fed into the budget setting process.
About the budget simulator
The simulator allowed residents to indicate whether they would wish to raise or lower council spending (by increments of 5%, between a 25% reduction and a 25% increase). There were 18 spending areas that respondents were asked to comment on, arranged under five distinct service areas: community, housing, environmental services, leisure and planning.
Budget consultation report
The report examines the responses made in terms of top-line results for each budget area. These results are based on 626 valid responses received up to and including 26 November as this analysis needed to be prepared for a council meeting that was held on 1 December. The final number of results received by the closing date was ultimately 718. There is no material difference in the overall pattern of results or findings arising from the additional 92 responses received in terms of impact on the average increase decrease residents wanted to see for each service area.
The report also displays the different spending preferences for each budget area by age and the type of respondent. In addition, it lays out some of the free text analysis on comments submitted. All the comments received are included as a separate file.
Headline results
The overall results point to a largely neutral budget overall with a preference for no net increase or decrease in council tax. In all spending areas, the clear majority of respondents voted in each service area to keep spending the same.
Overall the top four areas in every category based on the average of budget reductions or increases recorded are:
Decrease
- CCTV
- Private sector housing support
- Information centres
- Wycombe Museum
Increase
- Crime and anti-social behaviour
- Rubbish collection/ recycling
- Managing parks and open spaces
- Sports centres
The area which received the largest call for a decrease in spending was CCTV (34.51% of all respondents requested any decrease). This was followed closely by support for private sector housing schemes (33.07%) and information centres (31.94%).
Wycombe Museum received the highest number of responses requesting the largest possible decrease on the simulator (8.31% of all respondents voted for a 25% decrease). This was the largest majority received for any change in spend across the whole consultation. Other areas receiving a large frequency of requests to lower spending by the full amount available were CCTV (8.15%) and voluntary sector grants (6.55%).
When respondents did request a change in spending, it was often for marginal increases or decreases. Taking this into account, the largest vote for a marginal increase in spend (5% or 10% increase) to an area was for tackling crime and anti-social behaviour (28.91).
You can download the data analysis and comments below.
More consultations - have your say