Community priorities sought ahead of Council budget setting

Orkney Islands Council has launched an online survey seeking input from the community on where they want spending and saving prioritised, ahead of the Council’s annual budget setting process which will start in earnest in the new year.

Like all councils and indeed households across the country, OIC is facing unprecedented pressures in the face of rising inflation and the cost of living crisis.

Leader James Stockan explains: “While we will not know our funding settlement from the Scottish Government until 15 December, we need to start work now to prepare our budget for 2023-24.

“We expect to see a significant funding reduction in terms of real spending power in the face of spiralling costs - and we therefore need to plan on that basis.

“Our best guess is that we will be facing a funding shortfall of £12m.

“This will place the Council in an insidious position of having to consider Council Tax increases and service cuts while local residents are faced with a cost of living crisis and some of the highest levels of fuel poverty in the Country.

“In previous years we have asked people to tell us what Council services they value most, and where they accept we might need to look at increased charges or service changes and/or reduction.

“The extreme challenge of the past few years and of the increasing financial pressures on everyone means it is now more important than ever that we ask folk again to tell us their priorities, and their views on things like charge increases and how we manage our reserves.

“I would urge the Orkney public to take part in the survey so that as Councillors we can factor your feedback into our thinking as we set the Council budget in what is the most sobering context seen for many years.”

The survey, which is designed to take no more than five minutes to complete, asks people for their views on topics such as Council tax rates, annual charge increases, and invites them to comment on which Council services may have become more important to them over the last year, and whether the Council should consider tapping more into its reserve funds.

It is available at www.orkney.gov.uk/getinvolved, until 5pm on Tuesday 10 January and paper copies can be requested by calling the Council on 87 35 35 or emailing bmr@orkney.gov.uk

Direct link to the online survey