People in Merton are being encouraged to have their say on the Council’s budget for the next financial year.
Video transcript
Caption: Councillor Billy Christie, Cabinet Member for Corporate and Finance.
This year our biggest focus has been on supporting people in Merton through the cost of living crisis. We’ve also held a Big Sports Day to kick off our goal to become London’s borough of sport. We’ve nurtured civic pride across the borough by cleaning up and investing in our town centres and high streets, and we’ve laid the foundations for a sustainable future by planting 10,000 trees and developing our plan to build hundreds of new council homes. Like you, although we’ve been very careful with our money, the council is facing increasing pressures on our budget including record high inflation, rising costs and increased demand for the services we provide. Underfunding from the government has left us facing some tough choices about how we run the essential services that local people rely on. We’re proud of what we’ve delivered this year and there’s a lot more still to do but before we finalise our plans for next year we want to know what matters most to you.
An engagement has been launched, which includes an online survey and a series of events to gather the views of as many residents as possible before the budget setting process for 2024/25 begins.
Throughout the last year, tackling the cost of living crisis has been the top priority for the Council, and we are determined to continue providing practical help to those struggling to make ends meet Merton. That’s why we have just added a further £1million to our dedicated Cost of Living Fund.
The Council also kicked off its goal to become London’s Borough of Sport by welcoming 5000 people to Merton’s Big Sports Day in September and announcing new opportunities to get active like our Kids and Over 65s Swim Free initiatives.
It has underlined its efforts to nurture civic pride by cleaning up streets, breathing new life into our town centres, investing in local community organisations, and working with partner organisations in innovative ways to support residents.
The Council has set ambitious targets to build a sustainable future for the borough by developing plans to build 400 new homes, installing over 500 electric vehicle charging points and planting more than 10,000 trees.
The Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Billy Christie, said: “We’re proud of what we have delivered this year and, as we begin to plan next year’s budget, we are holding an engagement to find out what matters most to residents.”
“Although we have been very careful with our money, like residents, the Council is facing unprecedented pressures on our budget, including record high inflation and rising costs.
“While there is increased demand for the services that we provide, continued underfunding from the Government has left us facing some tough choices about how we run the essential services that local people rely on.”
The engagement closes on Thursday 21 December, 2023.
Have your say here merton.gov.uk/budget2024
Come and share your views with us in person at one of our budget engagement events. These will be held at:
- Morden Library 3pm-5pm on Tuesday 28 November
- Wimbledon Library 4pm-6pm Wednesday 29 November
- Pollards Hill Library 2pm-4pm Tuesday 5 December
- Mitcham Library 10.30am–1.30pm Saturday 9 December