Woking Borough Council has launched a consultation on its discretionary services after it halted all non-essential spending due to unsustainable debts.
On 7 June, the council issued a section 114 notice as its debt reached £2bn.
The consultation is part of the council’s attempt to cut costs, including bridging an £11m budget shortfall in 2024-25.
The survey asks for residents’ views on the council’s discretionary services, including parks, leisure centres, street cleaning, arts and cultural opportunities and support for families and young people.
Residents are asked which services they value most and which they would be prepared to pay more for.
They are then asked which services the council should consider reducing or stopping funding for.
The council said it would need to make ‘difficult decisions’ about the future of these services.
The consultation runs until 10 August.
The council said it would take the responses into consideration before presenting its proposals at a full council meeting at the end of September.
If this article was of interest, check out this feature by Joanne Pitt, Local Government Policy manager at CIPFA: 'Preventing future Section 114 notices'.
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