TIME RUNING OUT

 Time’s running out to tell council your views  

A Huge survey of Erewash residents about what they expect of the council will end in days – so local people are being urged to hurry to give their views. The online consultation ahead of the authority setting its new budget closes at 11.55pm on Tuesday 6 February. The questionnaire – which only takes a few minutes to fill in – is a chance for residents to tell the authority their priorities. It covers a range of issues from Council Tax to car park changes. 

The survey comes as Erewash is forced to follow other councils by seeking ever more savings amid an unrelenting squeeze on its finances. This has already led to a looming charge for emptying brown garden waste bins. The authority is confident it can balance its budget this year while pegging Council Tax at a below-inflation rise of 2.99 per cent. But without further savings or ways of generating additional income it faces a budget shortfall of £700,000 next year. There are fears this could rise to £2.5million by 2026. The questionnaire can be found here: EBC 2024-25 Budget Survey (snapsurveys.com) 

Councillor Gordon Thomas, who is Erewash’s Lead Member for Resources, said the borough has long been given a raw deal in terms of funding. Compared to the average that councils have been getting since 2015 Erewash has lost out on a massive £2.3million a year. Cllr Thomas told how he and Leader James Dawson have been lobbying the government for a “fairer shake”. He said of the consultation with local people: 

“We really want to hear from residents – so please take the time to go online and fill in the survey. This is your council and there is no getting away from the fact that we are likely to face some tough choices – not least because local people have been short-changed for years in terms of funding.”