MORE than 2,000 people have responded in the first week of Wirral Council's budget consultation, which aims to save £2.5 million.

The authority faces a funding shortfall of £45 million by 2017, at which point its grant from central government will have been cut by 57% in just five years.

It has already identified around £15.5 million of savings for next year and is asking residents, community groups, partner organisations and staff to help address its remaining budget shortfall of £2.5 million.

So far, 2,300 have responded to the consultation,which was launched last weeki

Chief executive Graham Burgess said: "The council has to make some extremely difficult decisions due to the fact we are losing so much of our funding.

"We have protected as much as possible the front line services vulnerable residents rely on and have managed to drastically minimise the impact on them by agreeing major changes to how the Council operates.

"This has meant that next year, we should be able to reduce the budget gap needed to be bridged by changes to local services from £18 million to £2.5 million.

"However it is now essential that we engage residents, community groups, partners and staff to make this further saving."

The public are being asked to comment on a number of budget options covering four themes of 'Income and Efficiency’, ‘Delivering Differently’, ‘Managing Demand’ and ‘Customer Contact’.

An online survey is available for people to share their views and council officers will visit a wide range of community meetings and groups to provide an opportunity for residents to have their say.

The consultation closes on October 31.

Mr Burgess added: "There is around £1.5 million of choice within the budget options.

"Public feedback has made a genuine difference to the decisions taken in previous years so it is important that people share their views so that they can be taken into account by elected members when they make their budget choices in December."

To have your say, visit www.wirral.gov.uk/futurecouncil or any One Stop Shop or library to access the online survey.