Council set to axe 400 posts as part of budget cuts

Dec 1 2010 by Douglas Dickie, Rutherglen Reformer

FOUR HUNDRED South Lanarkshire Council posts are likely to be axed as part of swingeing budget cuts.

The information emerged at an internal briefing for councillors, officials and trade union representatives held recently.

A document tabled at the seminar set out a list of cuts and increases in charges that would be required to achieve savings of £30 million in the next financial year.

It now seems likely that providing the council agree to implement a council tax freeze in the next financial year, the authority will have to cut their budget by between £28m and £30m.

Cuts of that size will lead to the loss of 400 posts in the 12 months from April 1, according to the briefing paper.

Proposals from officers, outlined in the paper, will be considered at a future meeting of the executive committee.

The party groups will then have until February to decide exactly were the axe will fall.

In the paper, officials have attached scores to a number of proposals for cuts and spending increases.

Proposals for cuts attracting the lowest scores are considered “most achievable and lowest risk”.

They include introducing charges for the care of garden scheme and special rubbish uplifts, reduction in school support assistants, withdrawal of crossing patrollers, axing of librarian posts in secondary schools, ending Christmas and twinning grants and increasing class sizes to those allowed by legislation.

Also under consideration is a reduction in day care placements.

Council leader Eddie McAvoy said John Swinney’s financial statement made next fiscal year’s cash position clearer.

However, it provided little indication of what their budget is likely to be for 2012-13 and 2013-14.

As a result, they would be unable to make long-term plans or start any major spending programmes.

South Lanarkshire Council will next year face a funding cut of 2.6 per cent if they agree to implement a council tax freeze.

If they defy the minority Government, the council could see their budget slashed by 6.4 per cent.

Councillor McAvoy said it was “more than likely” they would agree to freeze council tax for a fourth successive year.