New approach to council budget

[Kintyre Forum News]

New approach to council budget

ARGYLL and Bute councillors are being asked to approve a fresh approach to managing the local authority’s long term financial planning.

Lead Councillor for Strategic Finance, Councillor James Robb, outlined the process in his Autumn Budget Statement to the council in September, ahead of a detailed update to elected members at a council meeting on Thursday 25 October.

Officers have been asked to provide a seven-year view of income and expenditure, which period covers the council’s five-year term and recognises that previous budgets were balanced over three years. This report reflects the overall expectations on funding for the public sector and represents a significant long term challenge for the council.

Councillor Robb said: “The report before councillors highlights that around £6m of savings in each of the next seven years will be required to balance the budget and ensure the sustainability of the council’s financial planning. It is against this backdrop of essential savings that the council’s policy objectives for economic growth have to be delivered while protecting, as far as possible, essential services.”

The proposed approach, if approved, will be backed up by annual reviews of savings requirements, corporate and service plans. Opportunities will be provided for all councillors to contribute to the budget process.

Councillor Robb added: “We have to take a different approach and look at planning for the longer term. Like other local authorities, we will be faced with making some challenging decisions over the next few years. However, we have started the process of managing our business in a transparent, sustainable, predictable and robust manner, and this will help us to make the best possible choices within our limited resources for the people of Argyll and Bute.”