Council leader consults residents (From Bucks Free Press)

Wycombe District Council leader consults residents

11:00am Friday 28th September 2012 in News By Simon Farr

A COUNCIL chief is asking residents to tell him what they think about the services his authority provides.

Wycombe District Council has sent out a 12 page survey to more than 4,000 residents to find out what people think of its performance, the services it provides and what they think of the district as a whole.

It is the first time the council has consulted taxpayers since 2009 and WDC Leader Councillor Alex Collingwood is urging everyone who received a pack through their door to fill it in so the council can paint a full picture of what it can improve on or develop.

He said: “I was very conscious that the last time we did a residents survey was 2009, although it gave us lots of information at the time, the world has changed since then, particularly the pressures on residents, so I was keen to get some direct feedback from them.

“I wanted it to be a district-wide piece, making sure every ward has an equal say, rather than a survey where ‘whoever shouts loudest wins’.

“I’m trying to understand what residents think of our services - whether we should be keep them as they are, do them difficulty or, with the financial constraints upon us, whether the user pays for premium services.

“Residents might say, ‘actually we don’t use that so don’t provide that to us any more’ or they might want us to protect the services they do use, so we’re asking should we increase council tax to protect them and if so by how much, if at all.”

Independent firm BMG has been commissioned to process the completed surveys, which residents can fill out anonymously.

Cllr Collingwood, ward member for Marlow north and west, stressed residents had a ‘blank piece of paper’ on which to jot down suggestions.

He added: “This is stage one of an ongoing dialogue - I said at the beginning of my leadership that I want to be open and transparent. To be open with people and say if we can do something, great, but if we can’t, this is why or you might have to pay for it.”

Residents have until October 15 to respond to the consultation. The results will be released in December.