Stewart: ‘I’m determined to sort out council’s financial mess’
Pledge to see £27m savings driven through
Published:
A COUNCIL boss today said he was “determined” to drive through savings to get Aberdeen’s finances back on an even keel.
City Council deputy leader Kevin Stewart made the promise after opposition councillors expressed fears there would be more cuts to schools and other services.
Labour councillors said they feared the council’s controversial £27 million programme of cuts would be increased because of problems balancing the books.
The SNP-Lib Dem run council has closed the popular Bon Accord Baths and the Linx Ice Arena as part of its cuts programme, as well as axing £650,000 funding for the Glencraft factory, which employs blind and disabled people.
More than £14m of the cuts were described in a private session of the council’s budget monitoring board as “traffic light red” meaning the authority was struggling to make the savings.
It is thought most of the £14m savings are being made from the council’s social work budget.
Cllr Stewart said: “Even if there are difficulties, I’m determined the savings we’ve already identified will be made. There are sometimes problems with savings because something has not been put in place.
“If officers couldn’t make the savings, we would ask them to find savings elsewhere, but as I say, I’m determined the savings already budgeted for will be made.”
But deputy Labour group leader Jim Hunter said: “Our education budget has already taken a massive hit ... I fear that taking money from education to balance our books will further erode our children’s education.”
