TIME is running out for residents to have their say on Copeland Council's budget proposals.

The council must save £500,000 in 2019/20, due largely to the reduction in Central Government grants, and is prioritising the delivery of its statutory commitments while increasingly using income and grants to run its discretionary services.

As part of a number of questions included in the consultation document, residents are being asked what they think the council’s priorities should be in terms of town centres, cemeteries and open spaces. The public is also being asked for its views on a number of discretionary services provided by the council, including the collection of garden waste.

Also proposed is a 1.95 per cent increase in Copeland Council’s share of council tax, and increases in line with inflation in its fees and charges.The deadline for responses is Monday, December 17.

Mike Starkie, Mayor of Copeland, said: “We are working incredibly hard to maintain services amidst ever decreasing budgets. It’s worth reminding people that we only keep around 11 per cent of the council tax you pay, which is an average of £3.89 per week, for all the services we provide. For the fourth consecutive budget, we are not proposing any cuts to frontline services. But the reality is that we do have to save a further half-a-million-pounds and are looking at ways that this could be achieved."

Mr Starkie will be at Whitehaven market on Saturday, between 11am and 3pm to chat about proposals. The document is available at www.copeland.gov.uk and hard copies are available in council offices and libraries.