Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Council on track for £24m savings
COUNCIL chiefs have revealed a programme of savings worth millions of pounds — and are less than £2 million off their end-of-year target.
Dundee City Council introduced its Changing for the Future programme several years ago in an effort to cut back on spending.
It’s now in phase four, with council bosses aiming to cut more than £24m from their spending by the end of March.
They’ve managed to achieve nearly £23m worth so far — around 93% — with details going before councillors next week.
David Martin, the local authority’s chief executive, said that the savings had been made in the face of a “tough” financial climate and introduced in order to balance the budget.
But he insisted that decisions had been made to minimise the impact on citizens.
He said: “A key priority has been to do what we can to protect frontline services in these difficult times.
“To enable us to do that the council has had to look at the levels of service currently provided and consider different ways of working, as well as new ways to deliver our services and more collaboration with partners and surrounding local authorities.”
Mr Martin will tell councillors on Monday that among the projects which has helped save the council money this year is the closure and pending demolition of Menzieshill High School.
The project has saved the council £500,000 this year and council coffers will be further boosted by £1.2m next year.
Meanwhile, a reshaping of council offices is expected to save a total of nearly £800,000.
A review of roads and streetlighting is saving the council £1.3m every year.
The council has also implemented a restructuring of children and families services, which has saved nearly £500,000 this year and will go on to save the council more than £1.1m next year — with recurring annual savings of around £500,000 going forward.
Meanwhile, a remodelling of the care home structure, including new rotas and work patterns, is expected to save the local authority £500,000 next year — and a further £250,000 each year into the future.
A reduction in staff overtime and absence has also helped to add £500,000 to the council pot each year.