Issue - meetings

-           Strategic Director of Environment and Development Services to report.

Asim Munir, Community Engagement Officer, presented the key headlines from the recent ‘Facing the cuts, delivering Rotherham’s priorities’ consultation that had taken place to help inform the Council’s budget for 2015/15 and 2016/17 which had been active since 1^st November to 31^st December, 2014.

The consultation had been undertaken through input from a number of teams across the Council including Corporate Finance, Housing and Neighbourhood Area Partnerships and Engagement Service and Communications and Marketing.  Rotherham residents and partner organisations had been asked to give their views on how the Council’s budget should be spent and where reductions should be made on the following three priority areas:-

-          Protecting our most vulnerable children and adults

-          Getting people into work and making work pay

-          Making our streets cleaner and better

The consultation had also asked whether people would support an increase in Council Tax.

The report set out the methods of consultation utilised and a summary of the findings for the consultation with the public, partners, voluntary and community sector and employees.

The impact of the findings would be mitigated through robust research methodology and analysis of findings, balancing qualitative and quantative research methodologies distinguishing between respondents (such as Council employees, businesses, voluntary sector and the public) and a communication strategy that supported the consultation exercise.

All services would be encouraged to use the online forum as an integral part of their public consultation to ensure the momentum from the last two years was maintained.  This would ensure that the response rate rose and improved as some momentum was lost between the last two budget consultation exercises when the online form was closed down.

Discussion ensued on the report with the following issues raised/highlighted:-

-          Work had commenced on linking the suggestions into budget saving proposals

-          Feedback to participants would be provided once the budget had been agreed

-          There had been a reduced response as to that previously but it was thought the timing may have had an effect – it had been scheduled for August, 2014

Resolved:-  (1)  That the headline messages arising from the analysis of the budget consultation be noted.

(2)  That the development of a communications plan to ensure that the Council is proactive in communicating both the results and the impact on decision making to the public and employees be supported.

-           Strategic Director of Environment and Development Services to report.

Councillor Hoddinott, Deputy Leader, introduced a report by the Strategic Director of Environment and Development Services, setting out the key headlines from the recent ‘Facing the Cuts, Delivering Rotherham’s Priorities’ consultation which had taken place to help inform the Council’s budget for 2015/15 and 2016/17.  The consultation had been active since 1^st November, 2014 and was completed on 31^st December, 2014.

The consultation had been undertaken through input from a number of teams across the Council including Corporate Finance, Housing and Neighbourhood Area Partnerships and Engagement Service and Communications and Marketing.  Rotherham residents and partner organisations had been asked to give their views on how the Council’s budget should be spent and where reductions should be made on the following three priority areas:-

-          Protecting our most vulnerable children and adults

-          Getting people into work and making work pay

-          Making our streets cleaner and better

The consultation had also asked whether people would support an increase in Council Tax.

The report set out the methods of consultation utilised and a summary of the findings for the consultation with the public, partners, voluntary and community sector and employees.

The impact of the findings would be mitigated through robust research methodology and analysis of findings, balancing qualitative and quantative research methodologies distinguishing between respondents (such as Council employees, businesses, voluntary sector and the public) and a communication strategy that supported the consultation exercise.

All services would be encouraged to use the online forum as an integral part of their public consultation to ensure the momentum from the last two years was maintained.  This would ensure that the response rate rose and improved as some momentum was lost between the last two budget consultation exercises when the online form was closed down.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the headline messages arising from the analysis of the budget consultation be noted.

(2)  That consideration be given as to how the consultation findings aligned with and could/should influence the Council Budget for 2015/16 and 2016/17

(3)  That the development of a communication plan to ensure that the Council was proactive in communicating both the results and the impact on decision making to the public and employees be supported.