2025/26 budget consultation now underway - have your say

Walsall residents are being urged to have their say on Walsall Council’s budget proposals for next year. A six-week consultation on the draft budget, including proposed savings, investments and increases in council tax, is now open until midnight on Friday 29 November 2024.

To review the draft budget and proposals and complete the online survey, visit: www.walsall.gov.uk/budgethaveyoursay

You can also take part in the consultation by:

Emailing: consultations@walsall.gov.uk

Telephoning: 01922 650000 

Or by writing to Budget Consultation, Walsall Council, Darwall Street, Walsall, WS1 1TP.

Councillor Garry Perry, the Leader of Walsall Council, said, “I hope that as many residents as possible will take part in this consultation. It’s important that we hear your views about our proposals for spending, efficiencies and council tax. We need residents to let us know how the proposals might affect them and to identify the services they feel are the most important. We need to know whether they agree or disagree with the draft proposals under consideration and if they have any alternative suggestions for how the saving can be made.

“If you live, work or study or do business in the borough, please have your say. Every council has a statutory responsibility to set a balanced budget, and I am confident that our track record of strong and robust financial management will achieve this, but it won’t be easy. All councils are facing considerable challenges due to inadequate funding from government and rising demand on many of our services, particularly within adult social care and children’s services.”

Councillor Amandeep Garcha, Portfolio Holder for Resident Access and Housing Support at Walsall Council, said, “There are lots of ways you can have your say in our budget consultation - online, by email, or by writing to the council. If you need help to access and navigate the online survey, our network of Walsall Connected centres is available, offering free wifi and access to public computers as well as face-to-face digital support and advice about how to get online.”  

Walsall Connected is a network of 29 centres across the borough incorporating council-owned libraries, community partnerships and other partner organisations across the borough in including Walsall Manor Hospital. 

If you need support to have your say, please speak to a member of staff at your local Walsall Connected Centre. For more information, visit: www.walsall.gov.uk/walsallconnected

Initial proposals in the draft 2025/26 budget include:    

• A 2.99% general council tax increase and an assumed further 2% precept for adult social care, equivalent to an increase of 28 pence per day for an average Band D property. 

• Relocation of Walsall Leather Museum from its current site into a new town centre location.

• A review of town centre car parking charges; potentially to increase by 20% in April 2025.

• Expansion of the Safe School Gate Parking Scheme and a reduction in the number of crossing patrol wardens; to be a phased approach over a number of years as wardens leave or retire. 

• A review of Walsall’s markets.

• A review of the community parks programme to ensure the most effective range of activities are provided and that programmes are accessible to those residents who need them the most.

Feedback from the consultation will be considered and an updated budget will be provided to Cabinet in January 2025. The final budget will be presented to Cabinet on Wednesday 12 February 2025, before Full Council considers and approves the budget on Wednesday 26 February 2025.