Your views

What you think about the budget...

The current global finance crisis is affecting every part of the economic landscape. Every day we read about government measures at home and abroad to help reverse the situation and lead us back into prosperity. But what exactly can governments do? And on a local level, can the Council do anything to help people in these troubled times?

NAME: BOB MILLAR

AGE: 58

LIVES: MORNINGSIDE

OCCUPATION: BUILDER

As a builder I would like to see more housing built, which councils can influence. These are difficult times and one thing is for sure, only a team approach between public and private will help us. Even if it means finding a new way of working between the two sectors.

NAME: MARTINA ANDORFER

AGE: 23

LIVES: CITY CENTRE

OCCUPATION: HOUSEWIFE

I think it would be very difficult for the Council to change the way things are. There might be short-term measures they could introduce but really we need long-term sustainable solutions.

 NAME: TOM ARTHUR

AGE: 62

LIVES: LEITH

OCCUPATION: RETIRED

Give people work. There are lots of paths and roads in need of upgrading and also gardens. Obviously that costs money and in order to keep projects going the Council will need to find more cash. But things are a lot cheaper and ‘as a pensioner’ I’d definitely like that to stay!

NAME: GRAHAM SCOTT

AGE: 33

LIVES: MUSSELBURGH

OCCUPATION: RETAIL WORKER

If Council Tax was reduced it might give people a bit more money to spend. Rates too, for businesses, could be cut to encourage more shops to open. Making parking easier might make it easier to get to the shops, so maybe in the short term these might make a difference to people.

NAME: ISLE CAIN
AGE: 79
LIVES: CITY CENTRE
OCCUPATION: RETIRED
  I’m originally from Germany and regularly visit. Things are bad there, maybe even worse.
I don’t think there is much the Council can do and it would seem that you can’t hold government, at all levels, to blame for this situation. It’s a worldwide problem.