NOW that the local elections are over councillors - and politicians more widely - are mulling over all the messages that you, the electorate, have sent to us.

Nearly all the points of view expressed ultimately boil down to one question: How much should be spent, and on which services?

The election hasn’t wiped this question away. There just isn’t enough money to spend money on everything we have paid for in the past.

This is because we’re not getting as much in grants from Central Government, and demand for services that we must provide, by law, are increasing.

These services are not optional anyway, as every decent society should prioritise care for the most vulnerable within it, such as the elderly and young children who need support at a crucial stage of their lives.

There are three choices in all of this. The cake we have to share is only so big. We can leave it sitting on the shelf and put off a decision on how to cut it, we can slice it exactly as we’ve always done, or we can find ways to make it bigger.

For me, just leaving it on the shelf simply isn’t an option.

We have to start making plans now because there is less than a year to go before we have to balance the council’s budget again.

And the longer we put off our decisions the less time we will have to consult with the people who will be affected and, of course, that might be you.

The second option of leaving the various slices as they are isn’t workable either.

Local history tells us that.

Swindon tried it in the period leading up to 2002 and it was disastrous.

Much of Swindon Council then ended up having to be run from outside because things were so bad.

The administration I lead is committed to the third option, which is to support the local economy and increase the borough’s long-term wealth.

It’s why we are sticking to our Vision, Four Priorities, and 30 Pledges to you.

We are using money now to make changes for the future because as Charles Darwin noted, only those best able to change to meet a new environment will survive.

Change isn’t easy. It’s unsettling, and it is always controversial, as I know only too well from the election campaign.

Nonetheless, in the current circumstances it’s the only way we are going to make sure that Swindon has a prosperous future.

And it is the only way we can ensure it is a place where vital public services are available to those who need them.