Views sought on toughest budget

The scale of the deepening funding crisis facing Nottinghamshire County Council services was set out by the authority as it launched its toughest ever budget consultation.

Over the next three years, the county council must find an estimated £154m in savings to public services, despite three years of austerity.

Residents and businesses will be asked for views on which services they would be prepared to see reduced or axed.

Launching The Budget Challenge, council leader Mr Alan Rhodes said: “Nottingham–shire County Council, in common with many local authorities, is facing an unprecedented funding crisis.

“It will be an extremely difficult task, but our aim will be to minimise the impact on the services that people value the most as far as we possibly can and we need the people of Nottinghamshire to help us in this painful process.”

The consultation will run until January 17.

The first phase asks for views on which services could be reduced and to what degree people would accept a reduced level of service, fewer being eligible, travelling further to access services, paying more or becoming part of a group to take over a service

From September 16, the council will ask for views on its strategic plan, which sets out the council’s priorities for the next four years.

These priorities will help create detailed budget proposals, which will be launched on November 11 when there will be the chance to comment on the detailed changes.

People can register their views at www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/budget or join the debate at Facebook/Nottinghamshire and Twitter @nottscc

People can also call the customer service centre on 0300 500 80 80; complete a comment card, available in libraries from later this month, or write to the FREEPOST address