The freezing weather and heavy snow of this winter has forced Perth and Kinross Council to spend more than double its allocated budget.
The latest projection for the winter maintenance fund, used for snow clearing and gritting, is a £2.7 million overspend.
Although total expenditure is at £4.2 million, it is expected to hit £5.5 million by the end of the financial year.
This is based on the assumption that over the next few months the area experiences nothing worse than an “average winter” and there is no further extreme weather.
That represents a massive increase on last year’s projected overspend of £1.6 million, as the cash reserve set aside for dealing with cold weather was actually cut back for the first time in four years.
One of the reasons for the leap is a number of unforeseen costs, including a rescue centre set up in November to provide shelter for more than 600 motorists left stranded on main routes throughout Tayside.
Around 250 employees and 40 diggers were also involved in the massive clear-up operation, with many being diverted from their normal duties for much of the winter period.StrategyThe approach to managing this overspend will be considered in the reserves strategy report, which will go before a special meeting of the council on February 17.
Members of the strategic policy and resources committee will be also asked on Wednesday to approve the transfer of £657,000 from the environment service to reserves, in order to support roads repairs in 2011-12.
The money has come from the Scottish Government’s “pothole fund,” which saw £15 million allocated to local authorities across the country to deal with the effects of the weather.
While the severe weather can be blamed for harshly affecting the local authority’s budget, it also ensured an underspend on some projects.
The local roads routine and cyclic maintenance noted a saving of £500,000, while the Placecheck initiative spent within its budget by £120,000.
Perth and Kinross Council has now spent its entire winter budget for the third year in a row, though the local authority has always stressed that the figures are the “best estimate” of what the actual cost is going to be.
Council leader Ian Miller previously stated they would bear the lessons of this winter in mind when they sit down later this year and set the next budget.