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Council news  >  Press Releases  >  Aberdeen City Council 2009/10 revenue budget

Aberdeen City Council 2009/10 revenue budget

12/11/08

Aberdeen City Council has released details of possible savings to be made in order to produce a balanced 2009/10 revenue budget.

The details have been issued as part of the most open and inclusive budget process ever conducted by the city council.

Senior council officials have held a series of meetings with partners and stakeholders who will be affected by next year’s revenue budget, inviting their constructive feedback on how significant savings can be made with the least possible effect on services.

The 2009/10 revenue budget requires corporate directors to draw up proposals for 6% efficiency savings totalling £30 million in order to give elected members the flexibility to agree a package of savings amounting to at least £25 million in the next financial year to balance the budget.

Officers are focusing 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 voluntary sector, other public bodies, community council representatives, Aberdeen Civic Forum and Aberdeen City Alliance – to discuss the 2009/10 revenue budget.

Resources management convener Councillor Kevin Stewart said: “Aberdeen City Council has made every possible effort to include as many people as possible in our budget process this year.

“Difficult decisions are going to have to be made in the ongoing process of putting our finances on an even keel. But a massive amount of work has been undertaken by officers at all levels in drawing up the budget proposals to try to reduce the impact as far as possible on the services we provide.

”The council continues to meet a whole range of people to involve them in helping us to set a balanced budget that makes the best use of the limited resources available to us. Their feedback has been a vital part of the process and I can assure everyone that the closest attention has been paid to their comments.

“We are only at the proposals stage and I would stress that no budget decisions have been taken. That will be a matter for the whole council in December, where we will discuss the proposals and any further feedback from organisations and individual citizens.”

The budget proposals will be considered by the resources management committee on 25 November, along with feedback from groups likely to be affected. The committee will be recommended to agree a package of financial savings to go forward to the full council meeting on 17 December. Elected members will vote on the savings package and agree the bulk of next financial year’s revenue budget.

Details are available via http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/CouncilTax/RM/ctx_FinInfo_Home.asp

If you have any queries regarding this, or any other news story, please contact Aberdeen City Council on: 08456 080910.