Savage cuts on the horizon as council fear £7 million blackhole 10/11/11
Western Isles Council fears it may have to make up to £7 million of cuts and savings next year.
The council, the largest employer in the Hebrides, is looking at slashing jobs and imposing stricter employment conditions on remaining staff in a bid to tackle its cash crisis.
In a series of meetings ending this week, the islands’ authority also invited the community to suggest sacrifices in public services to make ends meet.
Axing Barra’s lifeline flights to Benbecula to save over £200,000 annually is one of the most controversial possibilities on the table.
Operator Lognanair has taken a temporary cut in subsidy but many islanders warned it would affect hospital patients as well as seamen and offshore oil workers who need to travel off the island.
At the final consultation forum in Stornoway on Tuesday night, the council was warned that many of the possible cuts would have significant undesired effects on jobs and the local economy.
Unison union representative Flora Somerville highlighted that targeting pre-
She said: “It is vitally important to keep young families in our communities.“
“Parents (already) have a real struggle to find child care. You could force some parents out of work or even off the island.”
Engineer Murdo Murray said that capital funds should be targeted into projects which would create the most jobs like construction and building.
There was a hint the council is controversially considering introducing frozen food for reheating for frail pensioners requiring a cooked meal service, despite a huge outcry after a pilot scheme in 2007.
Cuts are also being explored in bus services, grants to voluntary groups, economic development, sport, libraries and public toilets.
The number of councillors may also be voluntary slashed by a third though this can not be implemented by the forthcoming elections in May.
Council leader Angus Campbell said the council would have a £3 million blackhole at best but it could be as much as £7 million.
He said: “No decisions have been made. Current suggestions should be treated as a starting point.
He pointed out times will be tougher after making £5 million reductions this year but the council was obliged to look at every saving it could out of services it was not legally required to deliver.
Delivering things in a more cost effective way could retain a service and make it cheaper he pointed out.
The council promised the meetings to provide more detail about the negative effects for each proposed service cut.