Your Local Budget - still time to have your say

Residents still have plenty of time to say where they would like £250,000 of their council tax to be spent in the year ahead.

The Your Local Budget participatory budget (PB) consultation is now in full swing, with questionnaires delivered to local homes and available at council offices, libraries, leisure centres, the First Stop Shops in Eton, Datchet, Sunningdale and Sunninghill and online at www.rbwm.gov.uk/web/consultation_your_local_budget.htm

Cllr David Burbage, Council Leader, said: "Your Local Budget gives power to residents to make a very real difference in their borough and their local towns and villages. I encourage everyone to make sure they vote for the schemes they believe will be of most benefit to them, their families and communities."

Your Local Budget gives residents the chance to have their say on TWO lists of schemes:
• one offering £125,000 for priorities that would be of benefit across the borough and
• one offering £125,000 for schemes that would benefit people living in a particular area - Maidenhead, Windsor and Ascot/The Sunnings.

This is money from the council's capital budget which means it can be used for one-off projects. On the other hand, residents may think the Council should not spend the money at all - it's their council tax and their choice.

The priorities listed for people to rank in order of importance to them have been drawn up thanks to input from parish councils, borough councillors, chambers of commerce and local town partnerships.

The closing date for the consultation is Friday 17 June 2011.

In a separate online consultation now underway, another £50,000 of the PB budget allocation is being devoted to a neighbourhood-level consultation. Residents have the chance to vote for very local schemes put forward by parish councils, voluntary and community groups and individual people if they have a good idea that could benefit their street or community. More information is available at www.rbwm.gov.uk/web/consultation_participatory_budgeting.htm

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