Adur and Worthing: Your chance to influence how councils spend money

Adur & Worthing Councils have launched two surveys – one for each borough / district – to ask members of the community what they think the priorities for the local authorities should be for the year ahead.

"This is the second year running that the councils have run consultations to gain a greater understanding of what the community wants and needs,” a councils spokesperson said.

“Last year more than 2,000 people gave their opinion but the councils hope even more will get involved this time.”

The councils said everyone from the age of 14 upwards can take part in the consultation.

They said the anonymous surveys should ‘take no more than five minutes’ to complete and can be done online or by collecting a paper version from Worthing Town Hall or the Shoreham Centre.

The results will be considered by councillors before they set the budgets for the two councils for spending on services for 2024/25.

Neil Parkin, the leader of Adur District Council, said: “The last 12 months have been challenging for everyone in Adur, with the rising cost of living continuing to bite.

“There has been increasing demand for our services because our community has needed us more than ever. We have stepped up to meet that challenge but it has been extremely difficult to fund.

“The next year is going to be extremely challenging again, with difficult choices to be made, so we’d like the input of residents on what we should prioritise.”

Dr Beccy Cooper, the leader of Worthing Borough Council, said: “As a council for the community, we’re committed to listening to and engaging with our citizens, working with them to get the things done that matter to them the most.

“We want to set our budget to do the things that our citizens tell us are important to them, such as protecting vulnerable people, building council homes and addressing the climate emergency.”

The survey asks if people are comfortable with spending being reduced ‘on certain services’ or if specific services ‘should get more funding’.

The consultation will run until November 21, after which the results for each area ‘will be reviewed’.

The spokesperson added: “The data will then be given to the councillors to help them decide how services should be funded and what level of council tax should be set for Adur and Worthing next year.

"Both councils will then set their budgets for 2024/25 in February, ahead of the start of the new financial year in April 2024.”

Anyone who lives or works in Adur, including businesses based there, can fill in the Adur survey at https://surveys.adur-worthing.gov.uk/s/adur-budget-consultation-2024/.

Anyone who lives or works in Worthing, including businesses based there, can fill in the Worthing survey at https://surveys.adur-worthing.gov.uk/s/worthing-budget-consultation-2024/.