Council faces £ 17m of brutal budget cuts
Budget cuts in South Ayrshire could top £ 17 million, the Post can reveal.
Council officials, who had expected an £ 11 million deficit, are bracing for the doomsday scenario.
They believe the funding gap from the Scottish Government will soar to almost double the expected figure.
Bosses have now entered crisis planning with a string of jobs and services set to be targeted.
And it is feared the axe will once again hang over favourites like Prestwick Pool, which narrowly survived the cull 12 months ago.
Ring- fenced cash means this year’s Holyrood handout will dip in real terms, with councils across Scotland forced to cut services.
Cosla, the body representing councils, has already claimed the settlement will mean “substantial job losses in places where local government is the main employer”.
A South Ayrshire spokesman said: “What appears initially to be a cash increase from last year’s allocation of £ 2.1m is in fact a cash reduction of over 4.6m after we take out ring- fenced funding – monies that must be used for specific purposes set out by Holyrood.
“When considering how much we anticipate we will need to spend to deliver council services in the next year, we had estimated having to meet a budget gap of around £ 11 million.
“This cash reduction, along with new emerging spending pressures, will significantly increase this funding gap beyond previously estimated levels. “
South Ayrshire enjoyed a last- minute reprieve in 2018 when it was handed a late pot of cash from Edinburgh to spare a huge list of proposed cuts to services and jobs.
But it is feared this year’s settlement will not allow Council Leader Douglas Campbell the same room for manoeuvre.
Tory opposition leader Martin Dowey said: “I call on the administration to publish where and when they are going to save the money and what services will be at risk.
“The people of South Ayrshire deserve to know what lies in store.”
Council bosses have hit out about a £ 4.6 million cut in cash from the Scottish Government as they face a multi- million hole in finances.
At the council’s most recent leadership panel meeting Ms Howat described the funding settlement as “very difficult” and “not good”.
Finance secretary Derek Mackay’s budget, which was unveiled in December, has been criticised by councils around the country.
The South Ayrshire budget will go before councillors in February along with any council tax rise.
A consultation on budget cuts is due to start early this year.
Officers are trying to come up with savings in every department to put before decision makers.
A paper on the budget went before the full council last month.
But the details of any services in the firing line are being kept under wraps.