Thursday, February 07, 2013

Council Budget Day

Council Budget Day.

Here's a short reprise of how we've approached the process this year:
  • we published an initial draft Budget back in mid-November 2012
  • the full paperwork, from November, is here
  • after several months of consultation, we reported on the feedback received here

Its really not possible to overstate what a change this is from previous practices - not perfect admittedly, but light-years ahead of what was happening before.


For the first time, we've given residents and stakeholders the opportunity to comment on the Council's full draft budget, months ahead of it being agreed. And we consulted with a wide range of individuals and groups including the business community, parents, community organisations, trade unions and the voluntary sector.

As a direct result of that consultation, several significant changes have been made to the proposals in a number of areas including:
  • Employability - helping to support young people into work
  • Grants to the voluntary sector - providing the services people want
  • Revised parking charges - supporting the business community
  • Looking at how we improve our public realm
  • Culture pass - decided against due to lack of public support, invest money elsewhere

And last week, we published our final proposals - you can see them
here ... and they are now (very slightly adjusted) on the Council's main website (for today's 10am meeting) here.

You can watch the whole meeting (from 10am onwards) here.

Following the last local elections, in May 2012, the Capital Coalition agreed a
new Contract with the Capital, a fresh start for Edinburgh, seeking to create a Council that listens to, and works with, local people in a co-operative, fair, accountable and responsible manner.

As part of this contract, the Coalition
agreed six key commitments. Today's budget proposals, and the manner in which they have been developed, reinforce the Coalition’s intent to deliver on its commitments.
 
And don't forget - you can watch the whole of today's proceedings here.

No comments: