Council tax for West Dunbartonshire residents will rise by five per cent in a bid to help plug a budget shortfall of almost £15 million.
During last night’s full council meeting, a range of measures to help reduce a £14.7 million gap, which was brought down from £21 million in December, were approved by the majority of councillors.
Councillors voted through the option to co-locate Dalmuir Library within the nearby community centre as well as explore other co-location opportunities for smaller branches including Balloch, Parkhall, Duntocher and Faifley to generate an expected combined saving of £64,000.
It was also decided that cash could be generated through commercialising and letting Bruce Street Baths and Aurora House to third parties while reducing the number of days Clydebank Town Hall is open from six to four or three.
West Dunbartonshire’s Leisure Trust Management fee will also be reduced from 10 per cent.
Labour and SNP councillors agreed to raise council tax by five per cent, meaning a 2023 to 2024 Band D charge of £1,398.98.
The school clothing grant will revert to the previous amount of £150 per child each year, after it was increased using one off Covid-19 funding last year, generating a savings in future years of £774,000.
A review of senior early learning and childcare officers will be undertaken, saving £119,000, and the budget for grounds maintenance in educational premises will be reduced, saving £100,000.
A £1 million cost of living support package has been introduced as part of the new budget which will include access to a school meal hardship fund for any family struggling with the cost of living.
There is also to be subsidies of £10,000 a month to food banks for the next three years, the development of a community wellbeing fund to support community groups and a community asset transfer support fund to help local organisations take over the running of council buildings.
Speaking about his budget, council leader, Labour councillor Martin Rooney said: “This is without doubt the greatest financial challenge of West Dunbartonshire Council. We have increasing cost pressures, limited funding support from the Government and we are left with the additional burden of the previous administration’s failure to tackle risks.
“We are legally required to set a balanced budget. If we don’t there are serious implications for the council as well as staff and councillors. We have difficult options as the Scottish Government has decided not to properly fund local governments.
“They are entitled to make that choice and they have done so knowing what the effect would be on local authorities. They will try and pass the blame to councils and Westminster. That’s the nature of their divisive politics.”
The budget will also see funding provided to the West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau and Y-Sort-it reduced by up to 90 per cent.
The provision of school crossing patrollers, weekend litter collection in parks and town centres and grass cutting, bin clearing, street sweeping and footway gritting will also be reduced or removed.
Unhappy with the proposals, SNP councillor Ian Dickson moved the following amendment.
It read: “Council agrees to a council tax rise of five per cent. Council agrees the management adjustments of £1.3 million. The council notes there has been no public consultation on the local priorities, nor on the specific savings options presented here today.
“This would be unacceptable at any time, but more so now when we face having to make serious decisions on drastic cuts to public services and greatly reduce investment across West Dunbartonshire.
“Therefore council agrees that officers will immediately carry out a public consultation to allow members to make an informed decision on the budget at a future meeting to be called by the provost at a time and date which allows feedback from that consultation to be presented to members as part of the published meeting papers.
“This will allow members to make informed decisions fully understanding the views of our local communities. There being a remaining gap of £11.4 million, to allow a balanced budget to be fixed today, the council would agree to withdraw this sum from the service concessionary rate one off benefit.
“At that further meeting, any additional savings agreed then will be redirected to council reserves to assist with future year spending challenges.”
Leader of the opposition, SNP Councillor Karen Conaghan, said that Labour's budget was filled with hypocricy.
Councillor Conaghan said: “When I look at the budget Labour put forward last year, what strikes me is the hypocrisy.
“Where are all these bold savings initiatives that were going to put us on a better footing so that you could have inherited something that put us in a better position.
“Last year Labour proposed a council tax freeze which would have left you in a much worse position. Some of it really doesn’t add up. This budget will cause harm that will live on.
“This is an opportunity lost as far as I am concerned. I really think this level of cuts impacting a community deserved some sort of consultation.”
Following the discussion 11 members voted through Labour’s budget and nine voted for the SNP amendment.
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