Provost: ‘Budget was extremely difficult’
Renfrewshire’s provost described the council’s budget-setting process as “really difficult” as she reflected on the “tough decisions” elected members have had to make.
Councillor Lorraine Cameron, who was first elected as a ward councillor in 1999, made the comments after the SNP’s overall £547 million spending plan was voted through on Thursday.
During the summit at Renfrewshire House, it was confirmed council tax will be frozen for 2024/25 after the local authority accepted Scottish Government funding.
Ahead of the meeting, a report by Alastair MacArthur, director of finance and resources, was frank about the “hugely challenging and complex set of financial circumstances” the council is experiencing at present.
That reality was echoed by Provost Cameron, who represents Paisley Southwest, in the immediate aftermath of a vote that saw the SNP’s budget favoured ahead of the Labour group’s counter-proposals.
She said: “I know that emotions are running high. [For] the entire year for us as a council, this is always the most difficult meeting that we ever have.
“We all want to do the best that we can. When I was elected 25 years ago, the question was how are we going to spend the money – not what are we going to cut?
“I think even during the financial crash, around about 2008-2009, there was plenty of what some might describe as low-hanging fruit.
“There were plenty of cuts that we could make without interfering with any services, staff and things like that, so it’s been really, really difficult. I don’t want you all to forget that.
“It’s been an unprecedented 15 years. From that financial crash, we had a global pandemic, wars in Europe, all of that all helped create a cost-of-living crisis and it’s all affected public finances right across the world and cost pressures.
“That’s all impacted on our communities and it’s tough decisions that have to be made by councillors and members of staff, so it’s not lost on me that it’s an extremely difficult day for everybody.
“It really is. We can only just hope that we get it right.”
A total of almost £8.6m in savings formed part of the process – but a position of no compulsory redundancies was protected.
General service charges will go up by five per cent and council tenants will see their rent increase by six per cent.
However, various spending pledges were also made, including a £5m investment in roads, £800,000 for the provision of artificial playing surfaces and a further £4m towards replacing Thorn Primary School in Johnstone.
It’s tough decisions that have to be made by councillors and members of staff... it’s not lost on me