South Tyneside residents set to have their say on budget priorities
South Tyneside Council is launching a public consultation on discretionary services.
Residents across South Tyneside are being invited to have their say on the future of discretionary (non-statutory) services as part of South Tyneside Council’s work to set a fair and sustainable budget for 2026/27.
Each year, the local authority must ensure it has the resources to deliver the services that it is legally required to provide, known as statutory services.
These include things such as adult and children’s social care, waste collection, and safeguarding - with the services accounting for around 80% of the Council’s revenue budget.
However, the cost of delivering statutory services is continuing to rise, leaving less money for services that are delivered at South Tyneside Council’s discretion.
The wide range of discretionary services range from operating leisure centres and youth services to providing welfare support, health initiatives, and Community Area Forum schemes.
Speaking as the public consultation is launched, Cllr Jim Foreman, Lead Member for Governance, Finance and Corporate Services said: “Every pound of council tax matters.
“As the costs and demand on statutory services continue to rise it leaves us with less money to spend.
“That is why we are asking residents to help us make informed decisions about the services that make the biggest difference in their lives.
“This is about fairness, transparency, and making sure our budget reflects what matters most to our communities.”
South Tyneside Council has stated that the consultation will group discretionary services into themes that match the Council’s big goals for the future.
These ambitions are for people in the borough to be:
- Financially secure.
- Healthy and well.
- Connected to jobs, skills, and learning.
- Part of strong communities.
The public consultation was launched on Monday, October 20, and will run until Sunday, December 7.
South Tyneside residents can take part by visiting: http://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/budget.
There will also be paper copies available at The Word, Hebburn Central, Jarrow Focus, the Cleadon Park Library and South Shields Town Hall.
Those who complete the survey can enter into a prize draw to win a £100 Love to Shop Gift Card.