A local council in a “financial emergency” has launched a budget simulator so that local people can try to balance the budget themselves.

North Somerset Council has warned it could have to issue a section 114 notice — effectively going bankrupt and giving up control of its finances — if it cannot balance its budget. Free parking is already set to end in locations across Clevedon, Nailsea, and Portishead as the council tries to generate more income and balance its payments.

The council was facing a £23.5m overspend on its budget just for the current financial year. Savings found so far have now brought this down to £8.5m but more savings need to be found to take this down to zero — and the council has warned it needs to find £53m to cut from its spending over the next three years.

Now the council has launched the interactive budget simulator so people can see how different cuts can save the council money — and what the impacts would be. It is part of a major survey to ask residents for their priorities on what should be saved from the axe.

Council leader Mike Bell said: “Like many councils across the country, we’re facing an unprecedented financial challenge. After years of austerity and reductions in government funding, we quite simply don’t have enough income to cover our forecast expenditure

“We are going to have to make tough decisions and your feedback will help us know your priorities.”

The North Somerset MP Sadik Al-Hassan and Weston-super-Mare MP Dan Aldridge met with the minister in charge of local government finance last week to discuss North Somerset’s financial settlement and press the case for further funding. If the council cannot balance its budget and has to issue a section 114 notice, the government would step in to take control of its finances. The council has warned this would see services cut to the “bare minimum.”

On Wednesday October 16, the council’s executive signed off on plans to roll out parking charges in currently free car parks and on-street parking locations in Clevedon, Nailsea, and Portishead — prompting concern for independent shops in Clevedon and Portishead Open Air Pool. Mr Bell said: “We cannot afford to provide free parking in the way we did in the past. We cannot justify subsidising parking when we are having to cut care services for vulnerable adults and children.”

As well as the budget simulator, people can fill out a form with their priorities and the council will be holding a series of in person workshops and two drop in events. The engagement will run until November 22. The savings the council will propose will be shared in December. North Somerset Council will vote on the budget at a full council meeting in February.

Mr Bell said: “We are trying to do more than ever to inform and involve residents and partners in this process and help us to tackle these issues together. This is why this year we’ve launched both a survey and an innovative budget simulator to give residents a voice. We will also be running dedicated sessions with panels of our residents to work together through the challenges and options we have.

“We cannot promise to deliver everything that our residents ask for or might want, but we will use the results of this work to inform our decisions. Good decisions are the result of working together and I would urge everyone to engage and have a say.” 

A drop in session will be held on November 7 between 5.30pm and 7pm in Weston-super-Mare Town Hall, for which people are asked to arrive at the library reception. Another drop in session will be held at Castlewood in Clevedon on November 14 between 5.30pm and 7pm. There is no need to book for drop in sessions.

Anyone interested in attending the in person workshops can join the council’s “citizen’s panel” here: https://online1.snapsurveys.com/interview/e54e406e-3db9-4bbf-bcf8-b661fa9c2a0d

You can access the interactive budget simulator and survey form here: https://n-somerset.inconsult.uk/budget202526/consultationHome