A near £19 million package of proposed savings over the next three years is to be brought forward in Angus Council’s upcoming budget.
Ahead of a full council meeting on February 13 which will set out the financial routemap for the future, council leader Iain Gaul revealed a dramatic shift in the way the authority will present its budget and said that radical approach had to be carried forward in to service delivery.
He warned that there will be cuts and highlighted several areas which are recommended for review in 2014/15, including primary schools, staffing levels, welfare rights and bus services.
“We have been banging on from day one that hard times are coming and they are no longer coming they are here,” was the council leader’s stark message.
Budget proposals will be published next Monday, three days ahead of a full meeting of Angus Council in Forfar.
The move follows months of budget-setting work involving officers and elected members of all parties in a move which Mr Gaul said was aimed at prioritising what is best for Angus.
“We’ve taken a cross-party approach and increased it further this year,” said Mr Gaul.
That may mean an end to the chaotic scenes of previous years as the business of budget-setting often became overshadowed by the grandstanding of political rivals.
“It’s not about politics and it’s not about personalities. What’s best for Angus is first and last,” said Mr Gaul. “That’s why we have been working on it the way we have, and that’s why the budget process for next year will begin on February 14, the very next day after we deliver this one.
“There will be no surprises in the budget proposals when they are presented because they will have been published before the meeting and shared with staff.
“It’s been a difficult process because we know we cannot deliver the savings we need just by continuing to shave existing budgets.
“A more radical approach is needed for future years. We need to ask if we can be more efficient, deliver services differently and stop or reduce services which we cannot afford buses that run empty most of the time, or Christmas lights in burghs which in others areas are provided by communities or businesses.”
He added: “This is not all about the £19 million or so that is coming out of the budget over the next three years, but how best to use the £237 million or so that we do spend every year.
“We must make that work as hard as we can to deliver the best performance for the money.”
Mr Gaul added: “Angus Council is a business and our product is the services we deliver. Most of the problems we have are because people don’t understand what we’re doing. If they understand it then we have a much better chance of them coming with us.
“‘Team Angus’ is not just a glib phrase, it’s an ethos we will do what’s best for Angus, first and last.”
Mr Gaul has also hinted towards the council looking at services delivery changes through avenues such as leisure trusts.
“We’re not at that stage yet, but that is an area we are looking at. What we need to do is try and see what has worked well elsewhere and learn from that,” he said.
Coming forward in the budget papers will be nine recommended areas for review.
They include:
Staffing levels: A continued review across all council services focusing on effective use of resources and streamlining back-office operations.
Teaching provision: Review staffing standards in schools and the potential for a shift to outcome measures (attainment) rather than input measures (maintenance of teacher numbers).
Residential and community care: Review existing services and explore alternative service delivery models.
Welfare rights, primary school provision, parking and public toilets are also on the review list.