Residents in Bath are invited to find out about how the council is setting its budget a special forum to discuss the impact on services.
Bath & North East Somerset Council is preparing its budget for 2019/20 and is asking people to the last in a series of forums, to find out more about the process.
The event – Working Together: Our Budget, Our Plans and Our Communities takes place from 5-7pm on Monday 10th December at the Guildhall in Bath.
The forum will build on last year’s budget discussion in which the challenges the council faces were set out. This year’s presentation will focus on the council’s current priorities, provide examples of how some savings have already been made and showcase successful community initiatives.
Councillor Bob Goodman, Cabinet Member for Development and Neighbourhoods and lead cabinet member for the forum, said: “This is a chance for people to not only find out more about the council’s budget but also about the work the council is doing to influence Government policy in areas such as a tourism levy and support for independent traders in our high streets. There will also be the opportunity to find out about the council’s work with local people on the community library at Weston.”
Councillor Charles Gerrish, Cabinet Member for Finance and Efficiency, added: “The council faces a number of budget challenges and this is an opportunity to hear about our plans to address them. We want to work with local people to identify creative solutions and we want to respond the issues raised by the forums last year including the need to lobby central government to better address Bath and North East Somerset’s specific needs such as being able raise a tourism levy to reinvest in local services.”
Bath City Forum Chairman, Councillor Colin Blackburn, added: “The forum is an opportunity to help public services and residents to work better together to address the areas of local concern. How the council sets its budget and considers its priorities impacts on all of us and I would really encourage Bath residents to come along to the meeting on December 10.”
Members of the Bath City Forum, CAM Valley Forum, Bathavon North Forum and the 3rd Sector Group have been invited to join the discussion, and residents are also encouraged to attend.
The council’s detailed budget for the coming financial year will go before before the council’s Scrutiny Panel meetings in January and February ahead of the full council meeting on 19th February 2019.
Area forums are made up of Bath & North East Somerset Council elected members, parish councils and local groups. The forums set their own priorities based on an understanding of local needs. The area forum meetings are open for any member of the community to attend.
