City chiefs to act on public responses

HUNDREDS of responses have been submitted to the city council’s 2013-14 draft budget after the document was opened to public comments.

Capital residents have been allowed to submit their views on the budget either directly to councillors or through a ­survey made available online and through city libraries.

Publishing the draft document ahead of time had been one of the key election policies of the Labour-led council, which promised to bring in a process “more robust and open to challenge”. The two-month consultation period closed on Monday.

City leader Andrew Burns said hundreds of responses had been received and would lead directly to budget ­changes included in a revised document. He said he would consider it an “abject failure” if no alterations were made following consultation.

Based on the draft budget, Hearts and Hibs, along with other sporting venues, would be hit with a new charge to cover the cost of road barriers and diversions. The council 
is facing a shortfall of 
£10.8 million for April 2013 to 2014. The final budget will be set on February 7.