Our Big Budget Conversation

Overview

This stage of the Budget Consultation is now closed.

Right now, our budget is near breaking point. City of York Council is one of the lowest funded unitary authorities and after a decade of cuts, we are facing a financial challenge we have never seen before, caused by factors outside our control. We must protect services that care for people while delivering the services you rely on.

Over the next three years we need to make budget savings of £30m. We simply don’t have enough money to do all the things you want us to. We need to hear about what’s important to you and what isn’t.  We also need to know what you need our help with, and what you could do yourself with a bit of support.

Why your views matter

We need your help to make important decisions about how we spend money in York. Your views matter because they help us understand what is most important to you and your community.

When you share your ideas, you help us decide where to spend money and what services to keep. This helps us to protect services for our most vulnerable and understand the services you rely on.

What happens next

First and second stage: May – 1st September 2024

We’ve just finished our first big consultation to hear your thoughts about how we can improve. Thank you for your ideas! You will find the results of the Corporate Improvement consultation on York Open Data. This is part of our “Working as One City” plan, where we looked for ways to work better and save some money.

With the start of Our Big Budget Conversation and the launch of our first budget consultation, our budget setting process is now entering the second phase.  We heard your thoughts on “Becoming a Leaner Council”. 

Third stage: September 2024 – January 2025

We move to the third stage, "You Said, We Propose." We’ll look at the feedback you gave us and figure out which services are most important to you. In September and October, our team will be working hard to create budget proposals based on what you told us. As a result, we’ll start a new consultation called where you can comment on our plans and tell us what you think.

Final decision: February 2025

All your feedback will help us create the final budget, which will be approved at a big meeting on 25 February 2025. This is a very important step to make sure we can keep providing the services you need while managing our money carefully.

Stay involved!

Your voice is crucial! Keep sharing your ideas and stay tuned. Together, we can make York a better place for everyone.