Financial strategy needed for future

Dear Sir,

Concerning the current budgetary process of Cheshire East that is leading to the proposed budget being voted on by full council on the 22nd of this month, I am led to believe that it will be achieved by transferring money from the capital to the revenue account, reducing reserves and benefi tting from the New Homes Bonus, which as its name implies, is derived from building more homes within the borough.

This sounds very much as living from hand to mouth with very little long-term fi nancial strategy.

We expect our offi cers and councillors to do better than this, given that they are highly paid offi cers and experienced councillors.

Given that fi nancial constraints are severe with reduced funding from central government and ever-increasing demand from an elderly population perhaps they can be excused for such action.

I rather take the view that despite these extenuating circumstances, Cheshire East should be drawing up a fi nancial strategy and budget that looks to the future rather than deals with present constraints.

The council tax payers of Cheshire East, I think, would prefer a process that at least attempts to predict future scenarios, has plans to deal with them and is transparent about the likely consequences to each of them over say the next 10 years.

Yours faithfully,

(DR) PETER HIRST

Middlewich.