MORE than 1,000 responses were received by Newport City Council to its 2015-16 budget challenge consultation.

Council leader Bob Bright told a full council meeting on Tuesday that Newport residents had welcomed the opportunity to respond.

He said the top four services valued by Newport residents were care for the elderly and vulnerable, waste and street cleaning, education and skills, and care for children and young people.

He said: “The reason we engaged in this consultation exercise was to get a reflection from the citizens on the budget of the city council.

“This is the second consultation we’ve done and probably one of the most important.”

The council asked Newport residents which services they valued most, how the council could do things differently to save money and how people could get involved in helping to save money.

Cllr Bright said the council was notified of a 2.5 per cent reduction in its central Government funding in October.

He said 1,000-plus responses was “statistically significant” and that the officers told him they were 75 per cent confident that the responses reflect public opinion.

He added: “We do really need to look at these results. It’s still an ongoing process.”

Budget plans will go back out for consultation before the cabinet and full council discuss them in February.