An ambitious three year programme to review district and borough council services across West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland has been agreed.
And councillors will soon seek the views of local people, businesses and other key groups about the future role of the district and borough council under the strapline 2020 vision – your future council.
West Dorset District Council and Weymouth & Portland Borough Council have already saved around £3million a year through their ground-breaking shared services partnership. It sees one workforce delivering services for both authorities.
However, every council in the country is facing huge cuts in funding. Financial forecasts show the two councils will need to find considerable further savings or additional income.
Between 2010/11 and 2015/16:
- West Dorset District Council’s government grant will reduce by 52.5% or £4million.
- Weymouth & Portland Borough Council’s government grant will fall by 56.8% or £2.9million
West Dorset District Council Leader Robert Gould said: “Our two authorities are taking a proactive approach and tackling this in a managed way. The service reviews will help ensure the councils are able to provide appropriate and affordable services which best meet the future needs of local residents and businesses.”
Weymouth & Portland Borough Council Corporate Affairs and Continuous Improvement Briefholder Mike Goodman said: “We will be conducting in-depth reviews of all services – both statutory (those we have to provide by law) and discretionary (those we choose to provide).
“There will be difficult decisions – some services will stop, others will have to be delivered in significantly different ways. The views of the public and other important groups will be critical to getting this right.”
The first reviews will begin inApril 2014with decisions on any changes to services made by each council in the usual way. They will include extensive public consultation.
To see the agreed programme of reviews go to www.dorsetforyou.com/2020vision. If you would like to give your views on future services and be kept informed as the reviews progress register for regular email updates direct from your council at www.dorsetforyou.com/e-news
