This year, Monmouthshire County Council has taken a fresh approach to engaging residents on our budget. Rather than holding traditional evening meetings, we made a deliberate policy to go where people already are, into their communities, our hubs and libraries, youth centres, coffee mornings, and our Warm Welcome spaces.

These are places where conversations happen naturally, and where we can listen in more detail. It has made all the difference.

Over recent weeks, cabinet members and officers have met and spoken with hundreds of residents face-to-face across the county. We have also engaged directly with residents, headteachers, school governors, and town and community councils through dedicated online sessions to ensure their voices are heard, too.

This new approach has resulted in a significant increase in participation. We have surpassed the number of responses received in previous years, which clearly shows that when we make engagement accessible, people respond. It demonstrates our commitment to listening and to understanding what matters most.

The conversations have been open, honest, and constructive. People understand the challenges that councils across Wales are facing, but they also want reassurance that their council is making thoughtful decisions and protecting the services that matter most.

As part of the budget proposals, we are proposing an increase in council tax of just under 6 per cent. This is not a decision taken lightly.

Every pound raised will be reinvested into protecting and improving essential local services. This includes strengthening our social care provision to support the most vulnerable, investing in our education sector to give our young people the best possible start, funding an additional gully cleaning team to help reduce flooding risks, and continuing to invest in our libraries, which play such an important role as welcoming community spaces.

Our libraries, hubs, and Warm Welcome spaces have proved they are far more than buildings, they are the beating heart of our communities.

The engagement has shown clearly that residents want to be part of the conversation. They want to be heard, and they want to understand how decisions are made. And we are committed to continuing this more personal, more accessible approach, because meaningful engagement leads to better decisions and stronger communities.

By working together and listening carefully, we can ensure our county remains a place where communities are supported, services are protected, and residents’ voices truly matter.