Aberdeen’s citizens have sent council chiefs a clear message: “keep your hands off our schools”.
Residents have been given the unprecedented chance to help shape looming budget decisions.
It comes at a time when the authority’s finances are so stretched that top brass have warned that tough decisions are inevitable.
Over the course of July, more than 3,000 people made their thoughts known by taking part in an online survey.
The results have now been revealed.
How did the survey work?
People were asked to award a total of 100 points, split into various denominations, to the services they value the most.
The marks were spread across 17 different departments.
Those who aren’t online were able to participate at their local library, or by sending in completed forms to the Press and Journal.
These would be passed to councillors so they can keep the public’s wishes in mind when they battle to balance the budget next spring.
What are the Aberdeen budget survey results?
When all the points were totted up, there was one winner.
With more than 40,000 combined points, people went out of their way to stress how much education matters to them.
That made it the most voted for option, with a 12.7% share of all the points awarded.
However, it comes at a time when the council is already considering a swathe of closures across its estate in Northfield and Bridge of Don.
Will it be enough to keep education safe?
That remains to be seen.
Council bosses have hinted heavily that there will be “no easy options” when it comes to the next budget, indicating that items previously thought untouchable could face cuts.
In March this year, councillors avoided a blitz on schools, side-stepping suggested mammoth savings that could have been achieved by reducing teaching hours, axing music lessons and leaving classrooms dirty.
The shock proposals were mooted as saving money “had never been more important”, and could have netted nearly half-a-million pounds.
The issue would later become a political football, with the SNP and Liberal Democrat administration citing their education decisions when justifying controversial cuts.
Could people power keep pools open?
Next in line was arts, culture and sport – with 12.1%, or 38,600 points.
That came after the sting of losing Bucksburn Swimming Pool and the Beach Leisure Centre due to sports cuts this year.
And a few weeks ago, Sport Aberdeen chiefs implored people to use the survey to “help them survive”.
Many residents also felt the council can’t afford to skimp on spending when it comes to the city’s roads.
Another popular pick were the parks, open space and bereavement services, showing how strongly people feel about the city’s beauty spots and cemeteries.
Children’s and adult social work followed behind.
Here is how the points were awarded:
What about libraries?
The closure of six libraries this year sparked protests across Aberdeen, and the lingering threat of legal action still remains.
Libraries was its own category in the recent poll, and attracted 5.9% of the total points awarded, proving to be less than half as popular as schools.
Here’s the full list of the percentages awarded:
- Education – 12.7%
- Arts, Culture and Sport – 12.1%
- Roads and Public Transport – 8.9%
- Parks, Open Space and Bereavement Services – 8.1%
- Children’s Social Work – 7.7%
- Adult Social Work – 7.0%
- Libraries – 5.9%
- Waste Collection and Disposal – 5.7%
- Communities and Early Intervention – 5.2%
- Homelessness and Housing Access – 5.2%
- Economic Development – 4.5%
- Property and Building Maintenance – 4.1%
- Capital Investment and Contingency – 3.3%
- Digital and Technology – 3.0%
- Protective Services –2.7%
- Planning – 2.1%
- Support and Corporate Services – 1.8%
Now we know the Aberdeen budget survey results, what’s next?
The results will be presented to councillors at a crunch meeting next week.
And the next phase will be where things get more tense.
In the autumn, the council will reveal the full list of specific cuts that could be made in an effort to balance the books in the 2024/25 financial year.
You can read our guide on the process here.
Conversation