Hartlepool Borough Council launches residents' survey to help shape 2024-25 budget amid 'severe' pressures

The local authority says the feedback to an online survey it receives will help to inform final decisions for the 2024/25 budget.

It comes as the council says, like others, it is facing a range of “severe financial pressures”.

The council says it has seen a large increase in costs as things have become more expensive to buy, and demand for services has risen, particularly in adult and children’s social care.

Officers have outlined how there is currently a £5.583million “bottom line gap”.

The survey is running now and will closes on Monday, January 1.

Results will be reported back to a meeting of the council’s finance and policy committee in January as part of budget considerations by councillors.

The final budget will be set by the full council in February.

The survey, which takes around five minutes to complete, can be accessed at https://yoursay.hartlepool.gov.uk/balancing-the-budget-2024-25.