We’re facing a £100m black hole nightmare

A £100 million black hole is set to consume North Lanarkshire Council services over the next three years.

The shock claim comes six months before the NLC is due to confirm its budget for 2020/21 with its own council leader admitting “the financial outlook for North Lanarkshire is catastrophic”.

Speculation was rife that the council would be looking to publish a budget for the next three years rather than an annual one but this has been denied.

Cleland councillor Louise Roarty told the Wishaw Press that cuts could be “beyond significant” and that such a forecast has been discussed with other parties including local government body COSLA.

Councillor Roarty said: “This is the forecast. That’s all the indications we have had including from COSLA.

“It’s going beyond significant in terms of cuts. We are creaking as it is.

“It’s now going into overdrive. It’s getting really serious now.

“Services are going to have to be cut and it’s going to have a real impact.

“We just can’t keep cutting. We have been cutting down so much already.

“It could come down to looking at the services no-one wants to see damaged such as social work or healthcare.

“And then there is the impact on the staff.”

More than £30 million worth of cuts was agreed by NLC at its latest budget back in February with council tax rising by three per cent and 43 jobs lost although there were no compulsory redundancies.

At that time, local authority leader Jim Logue admitted the figures “will have a catastrophic effect on local services”.

In July, an independent report has shown that North Lanarkshire’s budget has been cut by the £149 per resident in the last six years.

The figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre also shows that since 2013, the settlement given to councils has decreased by 7.5 per cent – three times the decline in the Scottish Government Revenue budget which fell by just 2.8 per cent.

Council leader Jim Logue said: “The financial outlook for North Lanarkshire is catastrophic.

“Around £260 million has been taken from us by this SNP Government and yet they seem intent on decimating our budget further still.

“We have done our best to mitigate the effects of these cuts but the difficulties are there for all to see.

“All indications from talks with COSLA and the Scottish Government point to continuous austerity, with £100 million predicted to be cut from our budget over the next three years.

“Next year’s budget preparations have already begun and our administration will be working around the clock with the council’s finance team to ensure that we have the best possible information available to protect the most vulnerable in our communities and save vital jobs and services.

“However, make no mistake – there are some very tough times ahead.”

Wishaw and Motherwell MSP Clare Adamson said: “Scottish councils receive a fair settlement from the Scottish Parliament.

“The tough times ahead are a direct result of Tory and Labour policies that are hitting Scotland hard.”