MORE than half of people surveyed in Sedgemoor would rather pay more council tax next year than see their services cut further.

Sedgemoor District Council has carried out a survey of residents, asking for their views on which services should be emphasised in next year’s budget.

The survey found that waste collections, community safety and emergency response services (including flooding response) are residents’ highest priorities.

The findings will be taken on board ahead of the budget for 2019/20 being set in February.

A report on the survey came before the council’s executive committee met in Bridgwater on Wednesday morning (November 21).

A total of 10,000 surveys were sent out to residents across the district, asking them about their priorities for the next financial year and their level of satisfaction in the council’s performance.

Out of the 1,506 people who responded, more than 1,000 indicated that using funding waste collection was “very important”, when asked to rank a list of services provided by the local authority.

Geri O’Loughlin, from the council’s finance and property team, said: “Waste collections is people’s favourite service that we provide, and it has been for the last few years.”

Other services which prompted a similar level of response were community safety (including initiatives to prevent crime), emergency response (including flood prevention), recycling and keeping streets clean.

The services which attracted the lowest amount of “very important” ratings in the surveys included swimming pools, grass cutting and grants to community organisations.

Just under 62 per cent of people surveyed were ‘very satisfied’ or ‘fairly satisfied’ with council services, compared to around 11 per cent who were ‘fairly disatisfied’ or ‘very dissatisfied’.

Similarly, more than 60 per cent of those surveyed said the council was providing value for money.

Most crucially, more than half (55 per cent) of respondents were against reducing or stopping certain services altogether rather than paying more council tax.

Council leader Duncan McGinty said: “It is interesting that people would prefer an increase in council tax rather than a reduction.”

Councillor Anne Fraser said it was “very disturbing” that only two per cent of enquiries about council services came through ward members like herself.

She said: “People are using Facebook more often these days. Maybe we as councillors need to use it more – it’s something we need to look at.”

Councillor Gill Slocombe replied that residents were “very savvy” around social media and using the council’s website, reducing the need for face-to-face inquiries.

She added: “When people need us, we will fight for them.”