Setting The Council's Budget
Step 1 - Listening to Government
The Government outlines its spending priorities through the publication of the spending review 
:
The review announces investment and reforms in support of the Government's key objectives:
- a stronger, more productive economy
- a fairer society with stronger communities
- global security and prosperity
- better public services
To pay for these and other public services, the Government raises money through national taxation - from everyone's wages; and VAT from the goods and services you buy.
To make sure vital services are provided locally, each council is given a share of the money collected through national taxation, based on the area's needs, local population and mix of:
- Older people
- School children and young people
- Single parents
- Ethnic diversity
- People who are unemployed or receive benefit
This money, together with income raised from Council Tax and charges such as car parking, is used to deliver a variety of different services in Poole. In addition, the Council receives grants from the Government for specific tasks which it must carry out to support Government priorities.
Step 2 - Responding to Residents
Throughout the year, the Council keeps in touch with people's views to ensure it continues to provide services local people want and need. It does this in a structured way to ensure the views which are used to help shape Council decisions are representative of all the people in Poole.
- The three-yearly Poole Residents Survey helps track attitudes on Council services, local issues and what Poole is like as a place to live. As this survey is conducted by all Councils using a questionnaire that has been designed by the government, results can be compared.
- Poole Opinion Panel surveys are carried out up to three times a year. Along with supporting discussion groups, the surveys are used to find out, in detail, what people think of specific services and help to inform and shape our strategies and future plans.
- Local Area Committee meetings are held to encourage people to come and talk to us about issues facing the town and specific projects being carried out in their local communities.
Step 3 - Councillors Making Decisions
As Councillor Brian Leverett indicated in his Leader's Speech in 2003, we have adopted five priorities over the forthcoming years
To provide local services to 139,000 residents, in 60,000 households throughout the Borough, the Council assesses:
- The amount of money it receives from the Government for services in Poole
- Government guidance on how much will be invested nationally in public services and how much they expect local taxpayers to pay
- How we can make best use of money available for new initiatives that the Government want local councils to deliver
- Poole people's views on how they want to improve services
- How much it will cost to continue providing current services in Poole
Before the level of Council Tax is set, Councillors make difficult decisions by looking at all the options:
- Reviewing services to ensure they are cost-efficient and give value for money
- Looking at how income can be generated by raising charges for the services some people use such as increasing car parking charges or rents for beach huts
- Reducing costs by cutting the level of services
When we ask, local people say they do not want services cut but for higher Council Tax, they expect to see improvements. Whilst the Council is working hard to improve and invest in services, this needs to be balanced with what local people can afford to pay
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