One of the greatest challenges we face is that all public services are going to change over the next five to 10 years.

This will go far beyond what we have been used to in the annual process of balancing the budget and may mean that some things, which we now take for granted, may not be provided or may exist in a completely new form.

I believe that these difficult but unavoidable decisions can only be made on the basis of facts and a clear understanding of how and where the council spends its money.

The Big Conversation is part of our commitment to get better at communicating with our communities, and we have designed the initial information to help residents, businesses and other interested groups understand these facts.

We have produced a short online document – an “infographic” – that sets out this context and the pressures we face. For example, the largest number of emails I have received recently has been about the waste and recycling service, which is a traditional council service that is used by all residents.

However, out of every £1 of council tax income, we spend just 9p on the waste collection and disposal service, and nearly 3p of that is just tax we pay back to central Government. Some people also think the council’s main task is to clean and repair the roads, yet this only takes 6p from every £1 of council tax collected.

The infographic illustrates that the council’s biggest items of expenditure are on protecting the vulnerable – the elderly, children and people with learning difficulties.

These services, which only a relatively small number of people need, cost nearly half of our council tax revenue.

Let me make it quite clear: The council will not shirk from its duty, both moral and legal, to provide care.

But, with population trends meaning there will be more people who might need intensive support, it is quite clear that we cannot carry on doing everything we do now in the same way – there simply won’t be enough money.

Our key question is this: What do we do next? There are no easy answers and the Big Conversation is part of the process in which we, as a community, can think long and hard about what might be provided by relatives, friends, voluntary and charitable groups, what can be provided through the private sector, and what support the council should secure.

I would like as many people as possible to get involved. There are no quick fixes or simple solutions: This will be a challenge for us all. You can register by email at bigconversation@swindon.gov.uk or join the Big Conversation on Twitter (using the hashtag #Bigconversation) and Facebook (search Swindon Big Conversation).

For more information talk to your ward councillors or visit our website at www.swindon.gov.uk/bigconversation, where you can also see the infographic.

I look forward to hearing your views.