CRAVEN District Council is inviting residents to comment before October 14 on how it should spend their money as it begins the process of setting its budget for the next financial year.

It says with continued reductions in Government funding, there will be ‘ significant challenges’ in balancing its budget for the next financial year, and needs to save a further £737,000 from its revenue budget by 2021 to2022. It says at least £409,000 will need to be saved in 2019 to 2020.

Council leader, Councillor Richard Foster, said the council provided a ‘huge range’ of services for just more than £3 per week, including waste collection, street cleaning and the running of Craven Leisure and Skipton Town Hall.

“We value the opinion of our residents very highly and we want to hear their views on how we spend their money – and how they think we should make savings. As in previous years, we have some difficult decisions to make, as the Government is cutting our Revenue Support Grant to zero by 2020/2021.”

People can comment online at: cravendc.gov.uk/yourmoneyyoursay, by picking up a hard copy of the Budget Consultation document and survey from Craven District Council Offices, Skipton Town Hall, Settle Tourist Information Centre, or by email to budget@cravendc.gov.uk