Prince George, B.C. – Prince George City Council is shifting its budget meetings to  early 2017 so feedback gathered during the “TalkTober” sessions can be  used in shaping the spending plan.

The budget discussions  had traditionally  been  held  early in the new year,  but former Mayor Sheri Green  and that Council of the day  changed that  to late in a current year, meaning the budget was being developed with  less than complete information.

Having the budget sessions moved to January  means  there will be  more  time to digest the information  from the  Talktober neighbourhood discussions and   there will be a more complete picture of the expenditures of the  year past.

Council has unanimously approved the change,  noting  this will not  just be for the 2017 budget, but   in 2018  as well, meaning  with an election in 2018, the next Council’s first  job will be the budget process  and they won’t have to live with the decisions made by  others   who may not have been re-elected.