Still time to vote for £225,000 of local budget spend

Approaching 1,000 residents have made sure their views will be taken into account when the Royal Borough decides how to spend £225,000 this year.

They have joined in the 2012 Your Local Budget (participatory budget) consultation - and the message to everyone else is: There is still time to vote before the closing date on Tuesday 31 July.

Cllr David Burbage, council leader and chairman of the cabinet participatory budget sub committee, described it as a 'not-to-be-missed opportunity' for residents to have a direct say in how part of their council tax will be spent.

He said: "In the previous two years of the Local Budget scheme our residents have given us clear instructions on their spending priorities and we used the money exactly as they wanted. Communities have therefore benefitted from a range of improved services, including winter maintenance, highways improvements, activities for young people and a new parking payment system in Maidenhead.

"Getting to grips with residents' priorities is key to the success of this scheme and it is really easy for everyone to vote by either using the form delivered to local homes or online. There are still two weeks left - plenty of time for local people to take part and not miss a great opportunity to directly influence how this money will be spent.

"We also appreciate that residents may feel we should not spend the money at all and there is space on the voting form for that option too."

This is the third year of the Local Budget consultation and almost 62,000 questionnaires have been delivered to local homes giving residents the chance to rank their priorities on TWO lists of schemes:
• one offering £100,000 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.

Leaflets can be picked up at borough libraries and leisure centres, at the Town Hall, Maidenhead, at York House, Windsor, and at first stop shops in Eton, Datchet, Sunninghill and Ascot. Online voting is available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3JG2TF7

The £225,000 is from the council's capital budget which means it can be used for one-off projects that are important to local people, their families and communities and their quality of life - or residents may vote not to spend the money at all.

The priorities listed for people to vote on have once again been drawn up thanks to input from parish councils, borough councillors, chambers of commerce and local town forums and partnerships.

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