Budget priorities

DUNDEE city councillors will sit down tonight to debate how and where they will make almost £16 million of savings in the coming financial year to balance the books.

Members of the local authority’s policy and resources committee will be forced to look at cutbacks totalling £15.7m following the announcement of the local government finance settlement last month.

The savings also take into account cost pressures faced by the city council.

In a report to go before tonight’s meeting, executive director of corporate services Gregor Colgan said the savings requirement of £15.7m was based on the assumption that the council agreed to the full measures in the local government settlement.

His report added: “Councils have the flexibility to increase council tax levels by up to 3%.

“A 3% increase in the local council tax level would generate net additional income of about £1.5m.”

Ahead of tonight’s meeting, city trade union members are expected to demonstrate outside the city chambers in protest against where the budget axe is likely to fall.

There are major fears that frontline services, including social care and the environment, as well as council jobs, will be worst affected.

The details of the council’s 2018/19 budget are not yet known but the Tele asked the four main political parties in Dundee about their priorities for the coming year. Our