Ashfield residents set to be asked about how money should be spent

As revealed in last week’s Chad, Ashfield District Council leader Chris Baron has written to Eric Pickles, the minister for Communities and Local Government, saying that the cuts will lead to council-run services being reduced.

Council chiefs estimate that they will need to save on average £1million each year for the next five years.

At a cabinet meeting on Thursday night Coun David Shaw said: “It’s our intention to consult with residents. What we intend to do is set up a budget reference group and ask the people of Ashfield what services they consider cherished. We must be very creative in how we do our finances and budgets over the coming years. It is going to be a rocky road.”

Meanwhile, Coun Baron said: “How an authority of this size can cope with these reductions remains to be seen but as the controlling group it is our fiscal responsibility to present a budget that is not only acceptable to members but also to residents. We will be responsible and we will set the correct budget. I’m sure people will be upset but we will do our best to make sure it is fair open and transparent.”