A total redesign of Dundee services is on the cards as the city council tries to save cash in the wake of Scotland’s budget cuts.
Local SNP finance spokesman Willie Sawers warned no department will be protected from the pain. He said thechildren and families service represented the largest chunk of the council’s spending and could not be fully safeguarded.
The news came afterScotland’s deputy first minster, John Swinney, revealed Scottish Government cash to be given to Dundee City Council will be cut by £11.3 million in 2016/17.
“The austerity policy ofWestminster is hurting everyone and we are no exception,” Mr Sawers said.
“We will be looking toredesign all our services in much the same way we have done with street cleaning.
“We will be looking across the whole board. Even the education department, the biggest part of the council budget, can’t be protected from the effects of this budget.
“I won’t pretend that people won’t notice the difference but we will try to minimise the impact on service delivery.”
Labour spokesman Richard McCready said he was surprised and disappointed at the latest cuts and said jobs and services should be protected. He said: “At the moment, it just sounds really sad for Dundee.”
Jobs, frontline services, and services for the most vulnerable most be prioritised, Mr McCready said, with the council’s policy of no compulsory redundancies adhered to.
“We should be joining together to produce ananti-austerity budget,” he said.
“We should be involvingthe people of Dundee andconsulting with the council workforce on these cuts.
“Over half the councils in Scotland are having some kind of consultation and Dundee is not doing that. Cuts to councils are cuts to communities.”
Labour councillor LaurieBidwell said the council should consider putting up council tax but admitted it was a ‘stark choice’ for Dundonians. He said: “This budget will have serious consequences for the city.
“We know that the services the council supplies areabsolutely vital for our citizens and if you cut them back we know it tends to hurt those with the highest needs.”