£52.3m in cuts must be found
Councillors locked in talks
were yesterday in talks at council HQ
There could be seasonal opening of public toilets in Blairgowrie, Dunkeld and Pitlochry supported by comfort schemes for out-of-season provision. This will result in the loss of three jobs.
Garden waste collections could rise to £40 per bin in 2021/22.
The cost of dying could also increase with a proposed £26 increase to £881 for a full burial plot, and a £13 rise for a half lair.
Cremations could rise from £918 to £946 for adults and no charge for anyone under 21.
According to a paper set to go in front of a full council meeting next Wednesday, Perth and Kinross Council must save £16.5 million in savings for 2019/20 alone.
Councillors were yesterday locked in discussions. All groups will propose their own budget over the next few days.
Council leader Murray Lyle said: “We have done the best of our abilities in these challenging times - given the difficult settlement that we received from the Scottish Government this year. We are just having to face up to the reality of it.
“And the only comfort that I can give is we are not proposing to implement a tourist tax or workplace parking levy.”
SNP opposition group leader, Dave Doogan said: “Set against the very difficult public sector funding landscape across the UK we have to accept these challenges and pressures here in Perth and Kinross also.
“In preparing our budget plans for Perth and Kinross we in the SNP have maintained our clarity of focus on protecting frontline services and investment in our economy through capital projects. With an additional £12m from Scottish Government in capital grants for 19/20 the SNP will prioritise £50m for Perth High School, £8m for Perth Leisure Pool Replacement and £2m for Pitlochry Festival Theatre.”
Labour councillor Alasdair Bailey, who is part of the independent and Labour group, said: “The hard work we’ve done within the Independent and Scottish Labour group on the council has created an alternative budget that we feel protects all of the most important services and even expands some.
“We look forward to presenting the full detail of our alternative budget at Wednesday’s meeting at which point people can be reassured things won’t be as bad as they perhaps look today from reading through the options list.” Councillor Alasdair Bailey Councillor Dave Doogan