Rother District Council

1. Rother District Council “2008 Budget Input Consultation” Using SIMALTO Modelling Research For Today Ltd December 2007

2. Objectives Rother District Council wanted to know resident priorities about the allocation of council tax between various services in 2008 • Which of current service levels/benefits could be reduced and cause least ‘distress’ among residents? • Which improvements, if any, on other services should take priority? • Would residents be willing to pay more council tax, above inflation, to lessen any reduction, or fund improvements in benefit services?

3. Interviews Conducted Interviews were conducted in every ward, proportional to their populations

4. Sample continued 102 persons also answered the same questionnaire on the simalto web-site. 81 of these were residents and 21 staff. The residents results are included in this presentation

5. Sample continued In addition seminars were conducted at council offices. Respondent groups included 14 councillors and 25 members of staff.

6. Play area equipment Leisure facilities Voluntary grants Town centre spaces Street cleaning Fly tipping Parks rangers Grass cutting Environmental health Renovation grants Toilets Tourist Info. centres Arts / music Christmas lights Magazine Car parking charges Noise / nuisance What services were shown?

7. 0 1 3 4 0 4 8 12 0 2 4 5 6 0 2 4 9 0 4 7 8 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 0 2 5 8 0 2 Costed SIMALTO Grid

8. 0 1 3 4 0 4 8 12 0 2 4 5 6 0 2 4 9 0 4 7 8 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 0 2 5 8 0 2 Current Position

9. 0 1 3 4 0 4 8 12 0 2 4 5 6 0 2 4 9 0 4 7 8 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 0 2 5 8 0 2 Unacceptable

10. 0 1 3 4 0 4 8 12 0 2 4 5 6 0 2 4 9 0 4 7 8 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 0 2 5 8 0 2 Base Position

11. Each resident asked to ‘spend’ 4 lots of points totalling 43. One point = £25,000 Current service = 35 points Left hand side of grid = approx. £900k saving to council.

12. Cost Constrained (16) First Priorities 0 1 3 4 0 4 8 12 0 2 4 5 6 0 2 4 9 0 4 7 8 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 0 2 5 8 0 2

13. Cost Constrained (9) Second Priorities 0 1 3 4 0 4 8 12 0 2 4 5 6 0 2 4 9 0 4 7 8 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 0 2 5 8 0 2

14. Satisfaction with Specification     

15. Satisfaction with Personal Choice Scenarios Few residents unhappy at 2nd bonus of 25 points.

16. Satisfaction with current council service Bexhill residents seem less pleased than others.

17. “Service Benefits/Tax Level” Trade Off Choice

18. Scenarios Chosen When Informed of Council Tax Impact 63% prepared to pay more tax than inflation increase. Only 15% want tax/service savings. Elderly slightly less keen on tax increases.

19. Scenarios Chosen When Informed of Council Tax Impact Rye & east slightly less prepared to pay for service improvements.

20. Example Summary Data Attribute 10) Renovation grants

21. Residents Dissatisfaction with Alternative “Consensus” Budgets % Cost Change - Tax Spend/Saving

22. Most Preferred Individual Improvements

23. Comparison of Current allocation with ‘Consensus’

24. % Choice Prediction Between Consensus Optimum Budgets .

25. Garden waste collection service options Stopping the garden waste collection service completely at approx. a £12 tax reduction equivalent for all homes Make a charge for households using the service, causing an approx. £6 tax reduction equivalent for all homes Continue as at present Double waste capacity collected for households with larger gardens, at approx. a £6 tax increase for all homes Youngsters not into gardening !

26. Garden waste collection service options, cont Stopping the garden waste collection service completely at approx. a £12 tax reduction equivalent for all homes Make a charge for households using the service, causing an approx. £6 tax reduction equivalent for all homes Continue as at present Double waste capacity collected for households with larger gardens, at approx. a £6 tax increase for all homes

27. Summary 1 - Information To maintain the current levels of service, council tax is expected to increase by above the inflation rate. • 63% of residents opted for larger tax rises than current, to achieve their personal allocations of the same or a larger budget • Only 15% opted for reduced tax and services.

28. Summary 2 – Recommendation On balance, the research suggests the optimal council tax rise from residents point of view should be about £4 above the inflation rate, with only a marginal cuts in investment in these services.

29. Summary 3 – Benefit Reductions Causing Least Displeasure. Magazine – Twice / year Arts/music events – 1 fewer* Christmas lights – Halve funding* Renovation grants – 10% less Voluntary grants – 25% less Car parking charges – 10p increase *Not Web residents

30. Summary 4 – Enhancements causing most Satisfaction Play areas – 1 more* Fly tipping– 24 hours Environmental health – Increased performance Toilets – Improve* *Not web residents

31. Summary 5 – Services which should not be reduced Play areas Street cleaning Fly tipping Grass cutting Toilets* Noise, nuisance *Not web residents

32. Preference modelling accuracy Ability to pick winners from losers gives confidence in forecasts of predictions of preference