Essex County Council asks residents: How would YOU spend �2.2 billion budget?

ESSEX residents have been invited to take part in an interactive initiative to see how they would spend the county council’s �2.2 billion annual budget.

ESSEX residents have been invited to take part in an interactive initiative to see how they would spend the county council’s �2.2 billion annual budget.

As part of the budget consultation, the Budget Maker – which can be found at essex.gov.uk/budgetmaker - offers residents the chance to balance the books and submit their suggestions to the council as to how it can divide up the budget.

The council hopes the exercise will demonstrate the pressures it is facing, while giving residents an idea that in order to increase spending in one department, funding has to be removed from another.

County council leader, Peter Martin, said: “I would encourage all residents to go online and have a go at creating a budget which is practical and affordable.

“Any suggestions will be looked at to help the council set the budget for next year.”

The Budget Maker is being run alongside the Your Essex – Your Budget consultation. Both can be found at essex.gov.uk/changingessex

“Essex County Council has embarked on a �300 million saving scheme, and this exercise will help us support that,” added Cllr Martin. “It is important for us, as a council, to understand what residents feel we should be spending our money on.”