Aberdeen City Council has launched its Budget Consultation 2025/26 – aimed at understanding how potential savings options might affect residents.
Due to rising demand and costs, the Council must address a funding shortfall of £34 million in 2025/26 and £54m over the next three years. The first phase of the engagement exercise asks how service changes would impact people, including those with protected characteristics – as well as considering ways to fund services.
Councillor Alex McLellan, Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee, said: “Aberdeen City Council will be faced with difficult decisions to balance the budget next year, so it is important that we consider the impact that changes to services may have on citizens.
“This consultation is about us understanding the impact proposed savings options may have so I would encourage as many people to take part as possible.”
Council Co-Leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: “The Council wants to know which services matter most to people, how they think services should be paid for and delivered – and the impact any changes may have on them as individuals.
“I hope as many people as possible take the opportunity to have their say and help to guide the Council’s spending plans next year and beyond.”
The Council is faced with changing, reducing or even stopping some services and/or generating extra income from fees and charges, including Council Tax.
Phase 1 of the online consultation, which closes on September 15, aims to capture feedback on the potential impact of service changes in seven themed areas:
- Communities
- Citizen Services
- Culture and Sport
- Education
- Roads, Waste and Environment
- Capital Programmes
- Council Tax
Phase 2, which will run later in the year, will explore options for balancing the Council’s budget in greater detail, drawing on feedback from Phase 1.
The results will help inform the decisions taken by councillors in setting spending plans at the annual Budget meeting early next year.
For those without internet access at home, the consultation can be accessed at the Central Library on Rosemount Viaduct or the Marischal College Customer Service Centre on Broad Street during normal working hours.
A series of events will also be used to promote the consultation.
Last year’s consultation – the first of its kind agreed by Aberdeen City Council – drew nearly 6,000 responses across its two phases.
Third sector organisations are urged to share their views and take part in the consultation. ACVO plan on engaging with the sector over the coming weeks to gather thoughts for a collective response to put before the council.
Find out more and have your say at https://aberdeencitybudget.commonplace.is
