Decision details

The Committee considered a report that provided information on savings options identified by officers for consideration for financial year 2020-21 and beyond.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee –

1.    Agreed to recommend that Council, as part of the 2020-21 budget process, endorse the management/operations savings identified.

2.    Noted the policy options that had been identified with further information on the options to be brought forward to Council as part of the 2020-21 budget papers.

3.    Noted that officers would continue to identify further savings over the coming months to bridge the gap.

4.    Noted that the Head of Customer and Support Services would take forward a statutory consultation process with the Trade Unions for those savings options that could have a direct impact on jobs.

5.    Noted that the Policy and Resources Committee and Council meeting in February 2020 have been postponed by one week to allow officers time to finalise the budget pack assuming that there are similar delays to knowing the final funding settlement as has been the case over the last three years.

6.    Agreed to recommend to Council to endorse COSLA’s ask of the Scottish Government, that present budgets have a minimum uplift of inflation plus 3% and additionally all new commitments and duties are fully funded by the Scottish Government; noting that even this doesn’t necessarily address the challenges we face delivering services across such a geographically diverse area.

(Reference:  Report by Head of Financial Services dated 17 September 2019, submitted)