SHOPPERS have just a handful of events left to tell councillors face-to-face where cuts should be made in local services.

The Let's Talk campaign run by Harrow Council is a series of roadshows consisting of a pop-up living room, complete with a sofa, coffee table and lamp, where residents can stop to discuss with elected representatives and civil servants about how the authority's austerity budget should look.

Led by council leader Bill Stephenson, the Labour administration, which regained control of the council in May, is asking for the public's help to decide where the axe should fall to help save millions of pounds.

The roadshows are coming to an close so voters who could not make today's (Wednesday's) open day at Harrow Civic Centre in Station Road, Harrow, can drop by from 12noon to 4pm on Thursday or between the same times on Monday, December 6, instead.

Alternatively, councillors will be outside Morrisons supermarket in Uxbridge Road, Hatch End, from 12noon to 4pm on Tuesday, December 7.

Mr Stephenson said: "Our residents are passionate about Harrow and care deeply about council services.

"That is why we want as many as possible to take part in a real, open conversation about the future of our borough when big reductions in government funding mean we need to make some tough choices.

"We are determined to get as many people as possible involved in decision making and there is still time for you to have your say either at our open days, online or by speaking to your local councillor.

"While this campaign is now drawing to a close, it is the start of a new way of involving residents in Harrow, getting out and talking to them, and ensuring they have real influence on the decisions we make."

Councillor Barry Macleod-Cullinane, deputy leader of the Conservative group, said: "Mr Stephenson told cabinet a couple of weeks ago that they’d had just 148 conversations so far out of Harrow’s 220,000 population, and it appears as though they've only had a few dozen more since then.

"There are plenty of examples of real resident engagement across London: Richmond Council is writing to its 75,000 households to ask residents what their priorities are while Redbridge Council’s online ‘YouChoose’ system allows residents to prepare detailed dummy budgets and already, over 4,000 have submitted informed suggestions on spending choices."

LET'S TALK – HOW TO PARTICIPATE
* Complete a survey online at lets.talk@harrow.gov.uk
* Write to: Communications Team, Civic Centre, Station Road, Harrow, HA1 2XY