'Funky' budget simulator fails to win support
THE budget simulator that could help determine the future of city council employees has been branded an X-Factor-style stunt.
With the authority facing a £1m budget shortfall for the next financial year, council bosses are seeking the public's views on where they think the cuts should be made via a cartoon-like game on the council website.
Until Christmas Eve people can log on and have a go at balancing the budget to "see the consequences of making the difficult decisions".
While none of what the public decide is in any way binding, council leader Adrian Fullam said it would be taken into consideration when it discusses where to make the cuts.
Members of the public have the choice of 10 departments in which to lower or raise the budget. After each selection they get to read an outline of what making the cuts would mean.
The tool has been described as "funky" by Cllr Fullam, who said the council was trying to involve members of the public who would not normally have a say, and help with the general understanding of the financial difficulty it was facing. But Karen Williams, of Unison, said she was "deeply disappointed" the council was going to the public in this way before consulting the staff who would be affected. And Councillor Pete Edwards, leader of the Labour group on the city council, described it as an "X-Factor-style gimmick."
He said: "I cannot see any need for any cuts. It is their incompetence that has got us where we are at the moment. The issue of people's jobs needs to be taken seriously and not turned into a game.
Ms Williams said: "We are very disappointed the council has decided to hold the public consultation in the way they have without informing us. The council has a duty to consult with trade unions on staffing matters but have not bothered to do this."
Cllr Fullam said: "I don't think we should be concerned about consulting on the nature of our consultation.
"It is a funky thing we have on the website where people can see the figures go up and down and get a better idea of what is going on in regards to the budget."
He added the council would do everything possible to avoid compulsory redundancies, but these could not be ruled out.
Comments
by brin, exeter
Monday, November 16 2009, 10:35AM
“What do we want? More of a say, or less? I want more of a say and feel this stunt should be a fully implemented feature of our council. I want US to have more of a say, just fed up with trusting the council to do the right thing for the residents. Think this system should replace parts of ECCs decision making process, give the choices to the people! Of course I realise this was just to draw attention to the problems our council faces when making decisions, its just got me thinking and I reckon we could save money by job-cuts and bring the system up to date(rather like Royal Mail!). Time for the machines?”