Council to cut services and jobs 10/2/14
Cuts are looming in transport, education, social care, development and public services.
The Comhairle wants to make £2.5 million of savings this year just 12 months after
implementing £2 million of cuts.
An overall two-year £6 million deficit was reduced thanks to a final £1.1 million
BCCI payback. Other savings came from using £400,000 from reserves, a similar figure
from staff cuts, £100,000 from increasing council tax on empty homes, and cash from
the use of housing capital plus energy savings.
This year the council plans to cut jobs and not fill vacancies as well as reduce
training and renting less external offices.
It also intends to axe itinerant teachers for gym, music and art for Primary 1 to
3 pupils to save £200,000.
Other cuts and savings proposed for Thursday’s budget cuts meetings include:
- £750,000 from job losses by introducing e-learning or curriculum re-design for older
secondary pupils.
- £120,000 - over the coming two years by introducing an asymmetric - or shorter -
school week
- £107,000 - stop all buses to Laxdale School even though there is no alternative
public transport.
- £336,000 - identified from voluntary early retirement of teachers and cuts in education
staff numbers coupled with savings coming through from recent school closures
- £250,000 - tougher conditions for council workers through less sickness absence,
cutting overtime, prior year early retirements and reduced public holiday working.
- £100,000 - proposed savings from joint management of new St Brendans hospital and
care home. May not be achieved this year.
- £10,000 - Support for children with Additional Support Needs would be cut again.
- £20,000 - making Lionel School a satellite of the Nicolson Institute
- £59,000 - cut from supplies like books, paper and pencils in schools.
- £72,000 - restructuring and job losses in the council’s economic development department
- £35,000 - reduce support to Trust Housing
- £52,000 - better management of sickness absence of overnight support services
- £13,000 - use national contracts for bulk mailing and reduce the volume of mail posted
- £50,000 - relocate customer services to Stornoway Library
- £26,000 - relocate Revenues and Benefits Team to Stornoway Library, possibly as part
of Customer Services
- £39,000 - Significantly reduce the level of paid union representation
- £66,000 - cut two jobs in Chief Executive’s department
- £7,000 - Reduce the public opening times and reception service of Sandwick Road
council offices
Community minibuses,daily litter picking in Stornoway town centre, grants for community
bodies to look after pubic toilets will also be hit.
The council also aims to reduce the its contribution to Penumbra as well as introduce
a frozen meals at home service for eligible pensioners.