We always knew our Budget Simulator had the potential to be customised so it could be used successfully by organisations other then UK Councils. In the last month or so we have had resounding confirmation of this fact with both a UK Police Authority and a New Zealand Council making use of our online tool. Both South Wales Police Authority and Wellington Council NZ are currently using the simulator.
Given that police spending is only a proportion of council tax, South Wales Police Authority amended the simulator so it represented how their spending priorities affect general council tax.
Wellington Budget Simulator needed a whole host of customising including amending council tax, pounds, rates calculations and demographics to the New Zealand way of doing things.
The same simple usability allowed both of these clients to input all their own spending areas, amounts and consequences and once we set up the simulator on its own URL it was their tool to amend content in and take results from when they wanted.
Budget Simulator is a simple way of determining spending priorities for anyone who needs to consult on their budget. Respondents also get a feel for how hard it is to balance the books. Budget Simulator has low barriers to entry and an approachable format which encourages deliberation. It also allows organisations to package important information up in one place, so its also a great source of basic budgetary information for people who dont have time to delve into large budget policy documents.
It’s a great consultation tool which also has educational and engagement benefits which are now being felt on the other side of the world. Its nice to have a bit of perspective isn’t it?
