EXPLORE ABERDEEN

Budget savings proposals to go forward to December full council meeting

26/11/08

Aberdeen City Council has agreed a package of possible budget savings, which will now go forward to next month’s full council meeting for a final decision.

All elected members will discuss the proposals on December 17 after further consultations with the public and groups likely to be affected by the proposals for savings, before setting the bulk of the 2009/10 revenue budget on that day.

Corporate directors have spent the past few months drawing up a wide range of proposals for 6% savings, amounting to £30.353million, in order to give elected members the flexibility to agree a package of savings amounting to about £25 million to produce a balanced budget.

The resources management committee considered the package of proposals today.
Convener Councillor Kevin Stewart presented the committee with details of the proposals which the city council’s Lib Dem/SNP administration intends will form next year’s revenue budget. The savings proposed so far amount to £24.155 million.

The following proposals were REMOVED from the finalised package of proposals:

  • school closures and reductions in teacher numbers;
  • library closures, subject to further review;
  • closure of the Tolbooth Museum in the summer;
  • closure of Linksfield and Tullos pools;
  • closure of Hilton outdoor centre;
  • withdrawal of P4 swimming;
  • reduction of hours at Bridge of Don pool; 
  • withdrawal of kerbside collection of plastics;
  • the increases in parking permit charges as proposed by council officers; officials have instead been asked to take a fresh look at proposed increases; proposals to increase the cost of a second permit, however, have been retained;
  • parking charges for the first four hours at city parks (but introducing charges for parking for longer than four hours to deter commuters);
  • reduction in the budget for the public analyst service;
  • withdrawal of funding to the International Football Festival (instead, the annual grant would be halved to £27,000);
  • withdrawal of funding to Dons in the Community Programme;
  • a reduction of £20,000 in annual grant to Aberdeen Performing Arts (instead the administration wants to see a £60,000 reduction).

Savings proposals have been drawn up as part of the most open and inclusive budget process ever conducted by the city council. Councillors and senior council officials have hosted meetings with partners and stakeholders to invite their constructive feedback on how significant savings can be made with the least possible effect on services.

The proposals have focused on achieving as many of the savings as possible through efficiencies and maximising income generation, in order to have the least possible impact on frontline services.

The city council is engaged in a process of stabilising its finances with the help of an External Support Group of council leaders, senior local authority officials and senior representatives from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. Local government finance expert Robert Coomber was appointed in August as interim chief executive to provide advice and leadership prior to the arrival of Sue Bruce as the council’s permanent chief executive in December. Philip Cotterill, a highly respected former local authority social work director, is providing expert guidance on the social work budget.

Council officials are continuing to meet stakeholder groups – including external service providers, the business community, the voluntary sector, other public bodies, community council representatives, Aberdeen Civic Forum and Aberdeen City Alliance.

Councillor Stewart said: “We have got to make the £25 million savings – that is the reality and no one can get away from that. My main interest is in getting this city back on a firm financial footing.

“But we are still at the proposals stage and if people come up with viable alternatives for savings we are more than happy to listen.”

Full details of the budget proposals as originally drawn up by corporate directors are available at: http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/CouncilTax/RM/ctx_BudgetProposals09_10.asp
 



If you have any queries regarding this, or any other news story, please contact Aberdeen City Council on: 01224 522000.