Cuts hit where it hurt at council

North Lanarkshire Council has set its “hardest budget ever” following several displays of anger by members of the public worried about the effects of potential cutbacks.

With the council having to adjust for a £31 million reduction in its available funding, members of all political persuasions said very difficult decisions had to be made, although opinions on whether Westminster, Holyrood or both were to blame for underfunding local government varied.

Over the weekend and on Monday, a number of protests concerning the budget were held by members of the public and trade unions, who were opposing car parking charges, possible cuts to funding for instrument-based music tuition in schools and bands, and classroom assistants.

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Damage caused by a Saturday morning break-in at Motherwell Civic Centre also disrupted plans for a live online broadcast of the meeting. Two men have been arrested in connection with this and appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Monday.

Council tax has been increased by the maximum permitted amount of 4.84 per cent, or £1.08 per week for Band D households.

One cutback had already been incorporated into the budget. In January the policy and strategy committee voted to close Kilbowie Outdoor Centre in Oban, which provides outdoor activities and education for Primary Seven groups was made – an annual saving of £780,000.

The days of free community alarms are also at an end, as users will have to pay the national average of £3.40 per week – an option to charge £5.80 per week was rejected.

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Although proposals to reduce the number of recycling centres in North Lanarkshire from six to three or even the statutory minimum lone centre were rejected, special uplifts are now more expensive with the cost per uplift increasing from £25 to £35.

Families will also have to pay more for school meals as subsidies for year one pupils will be withdrawn, resulting in a cost of £3 per meal with a three per cent annual increase to compensate for inflation.

Council leader Jim Logue said: “We were faced with choices that no councillor wished to take. The fact is that local government revenue grant from the Scottish Government falls far short of the money required to continue to fund council services at current levels.

“So we had a difficult task. No councillor enters local government to make these kinds of cuts. However, the council has approved a budget which does its very best to protect the most vulnerable people in North Lanarkshire.

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“Some savings we had to take are extremely difficult. For example, we have always been one of very few councils in Scotland not to charge for community alarms. We have had to increase the amount of money we charge for special waste uplifts, reduce green space maintenance and remove festive lighting funded by the council from town centres.

“However, we have also been able to reject some savings options and protect local communities. For example, we could have increased the limits which qualify pupils for free school transport. We could have removed breakfast clubs and all school crossing patrols. We could have removed the school of football at Braidhurst High School, and funding for schools bands including the world-champion North Lanarkshire Schools Pipe Band. All of these were rejected.”

The arms-length organisation, which operates culture and leisure services such as libraries and sports facilities, will not have its management fee reduced, and the council insists the budget measures will not result in compulsory redundancies.

Funding for school music ensembles, most famously the North Lanarkshire Schools Pipe Band which participated in Monday’s demonstrations, will be retained although the council will proceed with a review of related tuition services. A review of classroom assistants will also be carried out.

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This year also brings a further downgrade to Palacerigg Country Park as its visitor centre will be closed down.

The budget also has an impact on road safety.  Funding for lunchtime school crossing patrols is to cease, as will the £133,000 annual funding for the council’s road safety team.

Annual celebrations are also being scaled back. Festive lights will no longer be put up in villages and from now on just a single fireworks display will be organised, with the Strathclyde Park event the only one which will still take place.

As an additional means of balancing its budget the council has drawn £3m from its reserves which now sit at £8m.

The council is investing £2m in adult social care services.

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The SNP and Conservative groups each put forward alternative budgets , with the SNP saying their proposals were based on extensive consultation with North Lanarkshire residents.

Group leader Tom Johnston highlighted work done by the Scottish Government to mitigate budget reductions originating with the Conservative government in Westminister.

The SNP group also called for the retention of Kilbowie, proposing a review including consideration of two different price increases which would either have been across the board or excluding families on benefits with everyone else paying more.