Council saves £9.9m

ANGUS Council has almost achieved its aim of securing £10 million of savings in the past year but more cuts will be needed in 2020-21.

Having set a 2019-20 objective of taking £10.2m from the balance sheet, scrutiny and audit councillors have been told the final figure for the end of the financial year is set to be £9.9m – 97.6% of the target.

The reduction, comprising savings and base budget cuts, has been welcomed by councillors, but finance chiefs have set out t he mid-term challenges which lie ahead.

It i ndicates required savings of £11.2m in 202122 and a further £9.5m the following year, to give a three-year figure in excess of £35m.

Figures suggest the council will be faced with coming up with additional ways of plugging £4m to £5m financial gaps i n each of their next three budgets.

Angus is yet to confirm its council tax-setting date, but the process has already been engulfed in political animosity after administration councillors forced a special meeting on the issue of alternative budgets.

The move to require opposition politicians to present alternative spending plans 15 days ahead of the budget-setting meeting was agreed after administration members said it would bring common sense and transparency to the process.

Opposition SNP group figures claimed they had been “bullied” i nto the change.

AN award-winning Tayside animal artist will showcase her incredible lifelike canine sculptures at one the world’s biggest dog shows.

Louise Jarvis will journey to Crufts in March after spending years honing her craft from her Alyth cottage, where a dining room has been transformed into a studio and she has her own kiln.

The 37-year-old is believed to be the only artist in Scotland who creates bespoke, lifelike sculptures of pet dogs to commission from their owners.

A MOTORCYCLIST drove through a red light before crashing into two cars while being chased by police.

Officers spotted unlicensed Dylan Jeffrey speeding through the light on Hawkhill last August.

Pedestrians were attempting to cross at the time and Jeffrey was pursued by police who activated the blue lights on their patrol car.

A determined Jeffrey continued to drive off in a bid to avoid officers but ended up crashing into a car at a nearby roundabout.

Prosecutor Carol Doherty told Dundee Sheriff Court: “At this time, there was another road user at the roundabout at Hawkhill heading towards Hunter Street.

“The accused collided with the nearside of the vehicle causing damage to the panels. The accused continued to drive along Hunter Street and turned left on Old Hawkhill.

“He continued to travel at excessive speed, overtaking vehicles on the wrong side of the road.”

The street was busy with