Residents are being urged to help shape future spending on essential public services as local budgets face mounting financial pressures.
Essential public services across North Yorkshire will be shaped by residents' feedback as local budgets face intense financial strain.
A countywide consultation, known as Let's Talk Money, has launched to gather public views on future spending priorities. The feedback will influence the budget for the next financial year and the Council Plan for 2027/28.
Providing services like social care, education, and waste collection across deeply rural communities significantly increases costs. Local authority officials say there is also a growing demand for adult social care and support for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
North Yorkshire Council's leader, Councillor Carl Les, said:
"Our annual Let's Talk Money survey gives our residents and businesses the opportunity to have a say on what our priorities should be to provide important services to the public.
We are committed to ensuring we offer the very best value for our taxpayers, and it is vital that we are able to see exactly what people see as the main priorities. I would urge as many people as possible to give their views in such an important consultation for the county."
Mounting financial pressures are being felt nationally. The County Councils Network has warned that rural and county authorities are on course to spend an additional £7 billion a year by 2028 without government intervention in the upcoming Autumn Budget.
Locally, more than £40 million in government funding has been lost over the past two financial years. Ministers have placed heavy reliance on taxpayers to finance local budgets, expecting a council tax rise of 4.99 per cent over three years to help plug the gaps. Officials note that current funding settlements from Westminster do not account for rising inflation.
Vital support for vulnerable people remains one of the greatest pressures, with 34 per cent of the £1.4 billion annual budget dedicated to adult social care.
The council's executive member for finance, Councillor Peter Wilkinson, said:
"We have always prided ourselves on the fact that our finances have been well managed, which has been so important with the challenges we are facing for our budget.
We will listen and take into account all the views and comments we receive to help us to shape the priorities for the next financial year."
Despite these financial challenges, major infrastructure and community projects are continuing. Over £40 million has been secured to transform leisure services, and plans are approved for at least 500 new council homes by 2029. A new waste recycling model is also being introduced to divert more rubbish from landfill.
The latest survey asks residents to rate the importance of key priorities, including affordable homes, health and wellbeing, the local economy, and climate change. It also seeks views on the second homes council tax premium and whether the public would support an increase in council tax and a precept for adult social care.
Last year, more than 2,700 responses were received, with 77 per cent of participants supporting a council tax rise to maintain critical services. The top five priorities identified were highways, education, waste, children's social care, and adult social care, which together account for 60 per cent of the total budget.
The consultation results will feed into a proposed budget report in January, ahead of a final decision in February. The survey closes on Thursday, November 26, and can be completed online, with paper copies available at all North Yorkshire libraries.
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