Council in £18m cuts proposals
More savings on the way
Ratepayers in East Kilbride and Avondale face a further three per cent hike in council tax as South Lanarkshire Council look to make cuts totalling £18 million.
There are 139 full-time equivalent jobs at risk in a raft of savings proposals as part of the 2019/20 budget options set to go before an executive committee meeting today.
The report states that with corporate solutions factored in, savings needed are reduced to £13m.
From 2017/18, the 10year council tax freeze was lifted by the Scottish Government and as part of last year’s budget a three per cent increase was approved.
A proposed further three per cent hike across all bands could generate a further £3.8m.
The largest amount of savings proposed are from community and enterprise resources which could see nearly £5m slashed, followed by finance and corporate resources (£3m).
The council will not receive confirmation of its block grant from the Scottish Government until the middle of next month.
Updated figures will go before the executive committee following confirmation of the figures from Holyrood.
However, savings proposed include cutting the annual payment the council makes to Police Scotland by just over £500,000 and introducing a 200 per cent (double) council tax on properties that have not been occupied for more than a year – excluding second and holiday homes – generating an additional £250,000 in council tax income.
The report says there are currently 495 long-term empty properties in the South Lanarkshire area.
In social work resources, the council want to save £60,000 by cutting the weekend service at Meldrum House day care centre in East Kilbride along with one in Hamilton and another in Rutherglen.
It is also proposed South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture tightens its belt by £1.4m – reducing the current management fee paid by the council from £18.5m to £17.1m. Other savings include: ●All primary one class sizes moving to 25 pupils – saving £280,000.
●A reduction of seven teaching staff in secondary schools – saving £300,000.
●Glassford pitch being removed from formal bookings along with a number of others – saving £25,000.
●Cuts of £35,000 to the anti-social behaviour service.
On top of cuts, 139 jobs are at risk...