Opportunity to influence what council spends our money on
An interactive tool that lets residents map out the community services and issues they care most about has been launched by Edinburgh Council.
As part of a 16-week budget consultation that went live on Tuesday, the council is engaging in new ways to capture “hyperlocal” feedback on specific issues.
People will be able to geo-tag areas where council services are being delivered well or areas where spend could be made differently. This information will help to inform the decisions councillors need to make next year and, in the future, to balance the city’s budget.
As the way the public use and access services shifts, the council says it needs to deliver services efficiently and invest in the future of Edinburgh and its population, which is expected to grow by almost 60,000 people over the next 20 years.
To prioritise investment in the next budget year and beyond, the consultation seeks community-level views on where the council could save money, where it is doing well and where it needs to improve.
It forms the first phase of a wide-ranging budget engagement programme agreed by members of the Policy and Sustainability Committee in March.
Residents who take part in the online consultation may also be invited to sign up to a series of focus groups taking place in autumn, to discuss their concerns, ideas, and ambitions for the city in depth.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “The council continues to face high and growing demand for services, and the reality is that this demand exceeds the funding that’s available. As we grapple with these additional pressures, we’ll face significant financial
We want to continue to get the basics right and plan for our future
challenges and some tough decisions.
“But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be ambitious for our capital city – or our commitment to protect those services that we know many of our most vulnerable residents rely upon. Just as our 2024/25 budget invests millions of pounds towards protecting and improving vital frontline services, we want to continue to get the basics right and plan for our future.”