鈥淭he challenges we face are substantial. We need to have the ambition, the determination and the drive to do more than just survive, to do more than just protect the existence of this council and its essential services.
鈥淪etting a responsible budget for 九秀直播 and Bute is about making choices that support people and communities now, and also look after the future of 九秀直播 and Bute 鈥 and that鈥檚 what we鈥檝e done.鈥
These were the words of Councillor Aileen Morton, Leader of 九秀直播, following the budget-setting meeting today (21 February).
鈥淥ver the past nine years we have had to make 拢50million in savings, and this year had to deal with a funding gap of nearly 拢8m. If this pattern of never-ending cuts carries on, then the continued existence of local authorities 鈥 to be blunt 鈥 is questionable.
鈥淐uts mean that we have had to make tough decisions about even the most valued council services.
鈥淭oday, as much as possible, we have protected vital services, we have listened to the views of local people and we have invested in building a successful future for 九秀直播 and Bute.
鈥淭his 鈥 in the circumstances 鈥 is the best budget for 九秀直播 and Bute. This is the responsible budget for 九秀直播 and Bute.鈥
Councillor Gary Mulvaney, Depute Leader and Policy Lead for Strategic Finance, set out the council鈥檚 approach to making its funding work for 九秀直播 and Bute.
He said: 鈥淭he scale of the cuts that local government has faced in recent years means that now, when it comes to making savings, we鈥檙e looking at our very heart, our very core business.
鈥淲e have had to prioritise our statutory duties first and foremost, which inevitably means that those non-statutory, but equally valuable and important services, have to bear the brunt of cuts.
鈥淔unding cuts increase the importance of council tax in making services possible. Cuts mean more and more that public services need public in-put. We have had to increase council tax by the full amount indicated by the Scottish Government.
鈥淲ith the help of local people, through council tax, we can support essential public services.
鈥淲hat we are doing is taking prudent decisions which protect services and jobs as much as possible through the best use of finance, resources and technology.
鈥淭he priority that underpins everything we do is that of prudential financial management. And we will continue that focus 鈥 to do the right thing, take the right action, make the right choices, in, for and with 九秀直播 and Bute.鈥
Key decisions made include:
鈥 Agreed: an additional 拢500,000 for winter maintenance, building on the 拢15m extra invested in the road network last year to keep 九秀直播 and Bute open for business
鈥 Agreed: an additional 拢2m for the Health and Social Care Partnership
鈥 Agreed: 拢120,000 to bring the Royal National Mod to Oban in 2023
鈥 Agreed: 拢23,330 for Kintyre Recycling Limited
鈥 Agreed: 拢500,000 reduction in council management costs over the next three years
鈥 The increase in council tax will see Band D increase from 拢1,249 to 拢1,308.83
鈥 Agreed: savings proposals listed here () with the exception of those below
Rejected: proposals to remove school crossing patrollers
Rejected: proposal to close customer service points
Rejected: proposal to reduce grounds and environment services
Rejected: proposal to increase parking charges