BCP residents asked to help shape council spending as financial pressures deepen
People across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are being asked to help shape the council’s budget for next year
Last updated 20th Nov 2025
Residents across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are being urged to help decide how the council should spend its money, as BCP Council opens a major public consultation on the future of its budget.
The authority is inviting everyone, from council taxpayers and service users to local businesses, parish councils and community groups, to give their views on where spending should be prioritised in the next financial year.
The consultation asks people to consider all core services, including support for vulnerable adults and children, waste collection, highways maintenance and environmental protection, and indicate whether they believe funding in these areas should rise or fall.
Residents can also rank which services they see as most essential and share their views on future Council Tax levels.
The responses will feed into budget planning for 2026/27 and the years that follow.
Cllr Mike Cox, BCP Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for finance, said the authority wanted to place residents “at the heart” of its decision-making at a time of mounting financial strain.
“Right now, councils across the country continue to cope with an unprecedented funding crisis,” he said. “The surge in demand for council services continues to grow, but the funding available has not kept up.
Cllr Cox pointed to the ballooning national deficit in the Dedicated Schools Grant, a problem he described as “a national crisis” for which there is still no credible plan from central government.
The overspend, driven largely by rising numbers of children requiring specialist education support, has pushed some councils close to effective bankruptcy.
Due to this Cllr Cox warned that further savings and efficiencies would be needed, making public input crucial.
“By reaching out to residents now, we can ensure we’re working to deliver the services they really rely on most, while understanding where there may be scope to reduce costs,” he said.
The consultation is open until 11.59pm on Sunday 14 December 2025.