Record response to Newham Council’s budget consultation

If you had your say on the council’s budget challenge consultation, then you were among more than 3,700 people to take part.

Initial figures released after the eight week consultation’s closure on Sunday showed that there were 3,711 responses – the biggest of any borough-wide consultation.

This incluses 1,264 face-to-face interviews and 2,477 completions of its online and paper questionnaires.

Newham Council is faced with making £50million of savings next year as a result of cuts to government funding and other cost pressures.

The amount the council needs to save next year is more than its annual spend on street cleaning, waste collection, road lighting and libraries combined.

The Mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales, said: “I would like to thank everyone who filled in the consultation, attended one of the public meetings or visited a street stall, your views will play a key part in helping us shape our services.

“The challenge we face is tremendous, but we will continue to do all we can to defend our residents from these unfair and savage government cuts.”

The consultation responses will now be analysed by an independent agency and reported back to the cabinet in their December meeting.

The findings will help the council set its budget for 2016/17.