Angus Council has hit its £8.5 million savings target in agreeing the authority’s 2011/12 budget but the effect of cuts on residents may take some time to strike home.
“Angus has to find savings of £23 million by 2014. We’ve now made a start to that, setting a budget that delivers around £8.5 million of savings £7.4 million from departmental budgets and the remainder from corporate initiatives.
“While this was a very tough challenge it’s nearly twice as much as last year’s savings package we are fortunate that years of sound financial management puts us in a better position than some other local authorities.
“We have therefore managed to protect frontline services from the worst of the cuts and have not had to resort to compulsory redundancies.”
Mr Salmond said the council had followed the savings approach outlined in its December budget consultation, the first undertaken by Angus Council.
“The four strands of our savings approach greater efficiency, fewer staff, more focused services and increased income are delivering the savings we need to find over the next three years and beyond.
“In setting this budget, we have tried to deliver as much as we could from efficiency savings this year almost 50% (£3.6 million) of the departmental savings are cashable efficiency savings.
“Reductions in staff numbers through natural turnover will this year deliver £3.8 million, all of which is being carefully managed to maintain essential services. These measures, coupled with increased income and more focused service delivery, deliver the £8.5 million saving we need.”
Mr Salmond added, “While our approach got the broad support of the public and staff, we did listen to their feedback and in response we have decided against some of the savings proposed. So, for example, subsidised creches at leisure centres will continue during the lifetime of this administration, and the opening hours of recycling centres will not be shortened.”
“In the next few years we have over £114 million of planned capital expenditure nearly £42 million of that is planned for 2011/12, including £14 million of housing investment.”
A defeated opposition budget presented by SNP finance spokesman Alex King included a £1.6 million fund to be split equally between the council’s eight wards for the provision of local sporting or community facilities. Mr King also proposed diverting the £1 million saved on the Montrose swimming pool project towards providing infrastructure for a Carnoustie business park.
He also criticised specific areas of the administration’s education savings, including the reduction of teachers for pupils with additional support needs and cuts to the per capita budgets of primaries and secondaries across Angus, as well as further increases to school music tuition fees.
Mr King’s SNP colleague, Forfar councillor Glennis Middleton said, “A hallmark of this administration budget is that it’s more important for what it doesn’t say than what it does say. I cannot recall a budget that is quite so airy fairy in its cuts and I think the people of Angus will want to know what it’s going to mean for them.
“The residents of Angus need to know what we are going to do, what we are not going to do and how we are going to go about it. I don’t think the administration budget is as honest as it could have been in explaining to the people of Angus about what exactly it is going to mean to them and the services they will receive.”
She highlighted elements of the social work budget which include a projected £909,000 saving from the review of charging policy and financial assessment procedures; £221,000 from a best value review of older people’s services and an additional £223,000 gain from a redesign of learning disability services.
Council leader Bob Myles responded, “This budget, I would reckon, is one of the best that the whole of Scotland will be hearing today. We have produced a prudent budget today.”
The Alliance administration budget, carried by a 16-12 vote on Thursday, was described by council leader Bob Myles as “one of the best the whole of Scotland will be hearing today”.
Alongside a fifth-year Band D council tax freeze at £1072, amongst its promises were £500,000 for education’s Determined to Succeed initiative and pupil support, £315,000 for ICT investment in Angus schools and a £500,000 top-up to a recreation special fund.
At lower level, there will be new litter and grit bins on Angus streets, but the objective of opposition Nationalist councillors was to lift the lid on how exactly the massive savings will be achieved.
The SNP said they were concerned the recurring theme of review and redesign of services was not “honest” enough in letting taxpayers know exactly how services will be affected, and in one crucial area concerns remain on both sides of the Angus table over nearly £1 million of planned savings which lie completely outwith the council’s control.
That figure relates to the budgeted £979,000 contribution from nationally negotiated teachers’ terms and conditions towards an education department total saving of £3.2 million.
Angus EIS secretary Phil Jackson said there were real fears about the terms and conditions situation across Scotland.
“On behalf of Angus teachers, I must acknowledge the prudent housekeeping of Angus Council, without which we would have been in a much more perilous state,” he said. “However, I cannot avoid passing comment on the grave concerns that the profession has regarding the changes in terms and conditions for Scottish teachers.
“The projected savings within Angus alone amount to £979,000. This is an unusual item to find in a budget report as the details of the savings are, as yet unknown. In fact, the national negotiations are inconclusive and continuing.
“These are called negotiations but an impasse within the SNCT has already been caused by the imposition of changes in conditions and services that have not been agreed by teachers,” added Mr Jackson.
The EIS representative’s fears were echoed by Angus Alliance councillor David May, who said he was worried over the effect on schools if the assumed savings did not materialise.
Mr May’s concerns were not shared by council finance spokesman Mark Salmond, who in his budget speech said the Angus Alliance proposal was one that would help build Angus’ future, with roads a top priority.
“In setting this budget, we have taken a considered and long-term approach to ensure we not only deal with the current financial challenges but also focus on building Angus’ future,” said Mr Salmond.
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