County Treasurer's

Consultation results

Each year the County Council consults the business community and various groups of council taxpayers as part of its formal budget consultation process. In the light of the continuing budget pressures and lowest possible grant increase we felt it was important to consult the public more widely so three further budget consultations were conducted for the 2007/08 budget.

The Budget Workshop and online budget consultation

The Budget Workshop was a day long event run in conjunction with Ipsos/MORI this year, to find the views of a representative sample of council taxpayers in Hampshire. This and the online consultation took place in Autumn 2006. Participants were asked to consider two options proposed by the County Council:

  • Option 1: a council tax rise of 4.9%, to continue providing social care to adults with substantial and critical needs, by improving efficiency across the County Council and by transferring funds totalling £6 million from other services and reserves. Some service reductions would be needed although not all services can be cut.

  • Option 2: a council tax rise of 2.5% including the Option 1 proposals with further reductions to services totalling £10.7 million. Suggested cuts included £4.5 million reductions to Adult Social Care and £4.0 million to Children’s Services.

There was also the opportunity to give an alternative percentage increase in council tax and to suggest a different mix of cuts and actions to achieve this.

For more information on the budget options

Results

Budget
Workshop

    

online
consultation

    

     Total

 

Option 1 - 4.9% council tax increase

20           61%

44           43%

64           47%

Other preference above 4.9%

-                   -

7              7%

7              5%

20           61%

51           49%

71           52%

 

Option 2 - 2.5% council tax increase

4            12%

26           25%

30           22%

Other preference below 4.9%

6            18%

16           15%

22           16%

10           30%

42           41%

46           38%

 

No opinion/don't know

3              9%

10           10%

13           10%

33         100%

103       100%

136       100%

These results show that 52% of those attending the Budget Workshop or responding online found a council tax rise at a level of 4.9% or higher acceptable, given the circumstances. A total of 38% would prefer a lower increase and, in many cases, a different mix of cuts and actions, while 10% did not know or gave no opinion.

In 2007/08 a Budget Workshop was also conducted with young people, to give them the opportunity to discuss budget and council tax issues with the Leader of the County Council, Ken Thornber.

Citizens’ Panel

The Citizens' Panel is a representative sample of 3,500 Hampshire residents whom we regularly consult on County Council policy and spending. During January 2007 the members of the panel were asked to complete a questionnaire giving their views on the council tax options for 2007/08.

The same options were proposed to the Citizens’ Panel and again there was the opportunity to suggest an alternative mix of cuts and actions.

Results

Options

    

Citzens' Panel

Option 1 - 4.9% council tax increase

46%

Option 2 - 2.5% council tax increase

17%

Other preference below 4.9%

25%

No opinion

12%

100%

The County Council made final decisions about the budget and council tax in February 2007.

More information about the Budget Workshops or Citizens’ Panel.

If you have any questions on the budget or council tax, please contact the County Treasurer's Department