Roadshow will be taxing (From Gazette Series)

Roadshow will be taxing

A GLOUCESTERSHIRE County Council roadshow will be in Stroud tomorrowto find out exactly what people want money raised from council tax spent on.

The budget for the next financial year will be decided on February 18 - and at the same time, the amount of money people contribute to council services will also be set.

To help get a full picture of what services are most important cabinet members are taking part in a roadshow visiting main towns across the six districts.

In December the government announced all local authorities would receive additional funding. For Gloucestershire that means an extra £3.2 million potentially to be spent on services. Councillors are particularly interested in how residents would like the additional funding to be used.

The roadshows will take place between noon and 2pm at The Shambles Market.

Council leader Cllr Peter Clarke (Lab) said: "The way government funding is calculated and allocated to each authority is extremely complex. But the funding has a direct effect on how much funding we ask our residents to contribute to services.

"With pressures increasing year on year, we want to try and help people understand why council tax has been rising but we also want their views on how we plan for the financial year ahead."

Deputy leader Cllr Liz Boait (Lib Dem) added: "For the last few months we have been using formal questionnaires, surveys and focus groups to help us prepare a draft budget for next year.

"The roadshow is an informal way of enabling people to give us their views at a time and in a place that is convenient for them.

"It will be invaluable to hear how people use current services and what they want for the future. We also need their views on the current council tax system and the amount they are contributing. What people tell us will help us finalise budget recommendations and plan for the continued development of county council services."

Spending this year includes:

* £9.88 a day for every primary school pupil in Gloucestershire (45,300 pupils in total)

* £35.67 for every tonne of rubbish and waste recycled and disposed of (with every person in Gloucestershire creating almost half a tonne of waste each year - 17 perecent of which is recycled)

* An average of £423 each week for each person supported by social services in residential, nursing or intensive home care

The cabinet agreed draft budget proposals for 2004-5 on December 16. Draft proposals included a recommendation for a total budget increase of 6.1 percent. This recommendation was made prior to the announcement the council would receive an additional £3.2 million from central government funds.