How to Use the Budget Simulator

The budget simulator is designed to help you explore how changes to spending affect services and overall council finances. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Adjusting Budgets

• Use the sliders to alter spending on different services.
• As you move a slider, the budget amount updates automatically.

2. Seeing the Consequences

• On the right-hand side, you’ll see the impact of your changes. This updates in real time as you adjust the sliders.
• Want more detail? Click the “More” link under each consequence to read more information about the effects on services.

3. Understanding Income and Expenditure

• Look for the information button (ℹ). This explains:
  • Income sources (e.g., council tax)
  • What our services do
• Use this to understand where money comes from and how it’s spent.

4. Explore and Experiment

• There’s no single “right” answer, try different scenarios to see how priorities affect outcomes.
• When you have balanced your budget, you can click on the 'submit' button to share it with us.