03/12/2015 - Permalink

Huge response to Big Conversation so far

Related topics: Community / Democracy / Health / Leisure, culture and heritage / Partner organisations

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Shropshire Council’s Big Conversation has drawn a huge response from local residents and organisations, with more than 1,000 people taking part in the Big Conversation survey since it launched on 17 November 2015.

So far people from every age, town and background have responded to the online and on-street surveys.

The Big Conversation survey is the first phase of a five-year conversation the council wants to have with Shropshire people to ask them what council services are most important to them, and what they can do to help and make the remaining resources it has go further.

This is the council’s biggest conversation to date, and it comes in light of continuous Government cuts which, in five years’ time, will leave only one quarter of the current funding that pays for over 150 services. This is a reduction of 75% from the £100m the council currently spends on these services, and means it will have to stop delivering some services.

The survey, which will run until Monday 4 January 2016, will be followed by further consultations with local people, partners, community organisations and businesses across Shropshire in 2016.

Since the conversation began, over a third of residents who’ve taken part in the surveys have expressed an interest to be involved in further conversations with the council.

Claire Wild, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member leading the council’s Big Conversation, said:

“The Big Conversation is undoubtedly a major ongoing exercise, designed to give people a say over where savings could and should be made over the next five years.

“The overall aim of the Big Conversation is to ‘meaningfully engage’ Shropshire individuals, partners, businesses and organisations. The most important thing is to hear is your views on the council services you value, the services you don’t, and the services you and your community may consider to run yourselves.

“This survey is by no means a ‘one off’. The Big Conversation will be an ongoing series of conversations and feedback sessions to understand your perceptions of what you see as spending priorities, ways to make savings, and increased local involvement.”

“We want to ensure that future council services are influenced by the people who use them. So please get involved; your views will be used to tell us what services the council will provide in the years ahead.”

If you know someone who does not have access to a computer, you can either print a copy off for them, or you can pick a paper copy up from your local library or customer service point. Alternatively you can call us and request one.

For more information about the Big Conversation and to take part

Further information

By 2020/21 the Government’s £44m revenue support grant – money that is paid to councils each year to help provide services – will end. By the time this grant ends, it is estimated that we will be a further £77m worse off, due to the combination of inflationary increases in costs, particularly in adult social care, and further cuts in Government grants.

The council’s forecast budget for 2020/21, recently published in its Financial Strategy, is estimated to be £188m. £163m (87%) of the budget will be allocated to core services such as adult services, children’s services, safeguarding, domestic waste disposal, concessionary travel and school transport.

This will leave just £25m (13% of the overall budget) of money to spend on the remaining 150 plus services the council currently provides. This is a reduction of 75% from the £100m the council currently spends on these services.

The Big Conversation has been set up to ask residents, businesses and organisations how the council can bridge a £77m funding gap over the course of the next five years.