newsApril 23, 2018 at 6:30 am

Orkney Islands Council says it plans to engage the community in future spending plans, as it releases a detailed list of savings measures due to take effect over the next year.

According to the council, a series of community conversations will be held throughout the county later this year with councillors and senior officials to discuss OIC’s approach to difficult financial circumstances.

Meanwhile, a comprehensive list of savings set to be executed within the 2018/19 budget has now been published. This includes £65,000 cuts to both waste management and support for learning; a reduction of £100,000 in spending towards roads maintenance; and the discontinuation of a summer play scheme for children with special needs, saving £15,000. (see full list)

“We want to ensure people throughout Orkney are as well-informed as possible about the financial situation facing the council,” said OIC leader, Councillor James Stockan, in a statement released this Monday morning.

“Funding services is becoming more and more challenging for us as the years go by. We want to talk to communities about how they can help us with this.”

Commenting on savings measures due to be made in the coming year, Councillor Stockan said:

 “Difficult decisions had to be made when we set the budget for the current year, as can clearly be seen when you see the cuts listed together as they are today.”

“It is never easy to make cuts to services that are valued by people. But we have to live within our means and, with our own funding from Government reducing year on year, savings needed to be found.

“This situation is likely to continue over future years as well and unless we find new ways of doing things, further cuts to services will be needed. We want to discuss this with communities across Orkney.”

The council leader said that he and his fellow councillors also want to talk about the proactive steps they are taking to find new sources of income from the council, like investing in renewables, which have the potential to reduce the need for cuts.

“I firmly believe that communities across Orkney have their own role to play in this,” he continued.

“We’re keen to discuss how we can take forward our Empowering Communities project. We want to offer people and groups the opportunity to manage and provide local services within their communities, helping us make budget savings and increasing opportunities for local employment.”

OIC has had to make savings of almost £11 million over the last six years. According to the local authority, the impact for these cuts was assessed as “low” or “medium” risk. However, further savings were needed for the year ahead and, for the first time, councillors agreed cuts assessed as “high risk” as well – the cut to the budget for learning support in schools being an example of this.

“Fortunately, there was no need to consider options this year for ‘very high risk’ savings – such as a cut to local ferry services, merging schools or raising the qualifying criteria for adult care services,” added Councillor Stockan.

“Looking forward, we wish to avoid decisions of that kind if at all possible. But all the signs are that our Government funding – our main source of income – will reduce further in future.

“This means we need to plan ahead – and we want to give people the chance to discuss the best way forward with us.”

OIC chief executive Alistair Buchan confirmed that the cuts agreed for 2018-19 amount to a £1.75 million reduction in council spending over the year ahead.

“It is important to point out that over £1 million of the savings will be made ‘in house’ – these will affect the organisation, but not the services we provide for the public at large.

“The savings listed today are those that will have an impact on people, groups and other organisations in Orkney.

“The challenging financial circumstances we’ve all been living through look set to continue over the years ahead. It is important that the people we serve have the opportunity to provide feedback on savings already made and those that might be required in future – as well as the measures we are taking to boost the Council’s income. I look forward to hearing views and ideas from all parts of our local community.”

 

Details of savings due to come into effect during 2018-19, as published by OIC:

 

• Christmas Grant – annual saving £64,500

A £40 grant will no longer be available to people living in Orkney and in receipt of certain benefits.

• Waste collections – annual saving £65,000

A number of options will be considered, including the possibility of a move to an alternate fortnightly collection in rural areas. It would mean a two-week gap between collections of general refuse and collections of recyclable items. We will consult with the public before making any change to the frequency of our waste collections.

We will also be reviewing the role of our recycling centres/collections points. We want to look at how well they are used, and if there are ways to encourage people to take more recyclable items to them, to reduce the amount of waste picked up in kerbside collections. We will also explore ways for more community involvement at these facilities.

In addition, the qualification criteria for assisted collections (generally for less able customers) will be considered. Existing criteria for assisted collections may need to be changed, with a reduced level of support available.

• Roads maintenance – annual saving £100,000

There will be a reduction in some of the routine maintenance of Orkney’s roads. For example, resurfacing is likely to take place less often, with repairs only carried out when needed.

• Burial grounds – annual saving £5,000

There will be less maintenance at our burial grounds. We will also look at the possibility more community involvement in looking after burial grounds.

• Economic development grants – annual saving £20,000

These can attract significant additional funding for our local economy. They support a wide range of local business start-ups and the development of sectors within the local economy. Cutting this budget will mean fewer opportunities to do this.

• Dial a Bus funding – annual saving £11,000

Scottish Government concessionary travel schemes do not cover Dial-a-Bus services in Orkney and for many years the council has filled this gap. Eligible elderly and disabled passengers previously received one free return journey a week on Dial-a-Bus. This has been reduced to 12 free return trips per year, making the scheme consistent with that provided to eligible isles residents travelling on Orkney Ferries (or by air from North Ronaldsay and Papa Westray). The Dial-a-Bus Service will still be supported this year by Council funding and available on a pay as you go basis in addition to the 12 free return trips.

• Mull Head interpretation centre and Happy Valley – annual saving £300

There will be less Council funding towards maintenance at the two sites.

 

• Support for learning – annual saving £65,000

There will be a reduction in the level of additional support for learning provided in schools.

 

• Support for learning transport – annual saving £6,000

There will be a reduction in funding for the transport provided for children or young people receiving additional support for learning.

 

• Educational psychology – annual saving £10,000

The budget for the educational psychology service is being reduced. It will mean less support can be provided for children, young people and families.

• Modern language assistants – annual saving £30,000

Overseas students will no longer be employed on a yearly basis as modern language assistants in schools.

• Community learning and development – annual saving £45,000

There will be a reduction in the community learning and development services available to communities, adult learners and youth clubs.

 

• Museums service – annual saving of £30,000

Options will be looked at to make this saving.

 

• Grounds maintenance – annual saving £25,000

This will result in a 20 per cent reduction in grass cutting, weeding and other maintenance of sports pitches and public spaces. It will mean that several areas within our towns will now longer be cut as frequently as they have been.

• Summer play scheme – annual saving £15,000

A play scheme for children with special needs will no longer be provided during the summer holidays.

 

• Lunch clubs and third sector organisations – annual saving £11,400

There will be a 2.5 per cent reduction in funding from Orkney Health and Care for lunch clubs and a number of third sector organisations.

 

• Reduction in homelessness strategy grants – annual saving £6,000

Grants from OIC’s housing service are being reduced by 10% to a number of third sector organisations whose work helps prevent or alleviate homelessness.

The budget simulator exercise carried out in 2016 demonstrated a willingness among the public for an increase in charges for Council services, if this helped reduce the need for cuts to frontline services. Charges for many services are increasing by at least 4 per cent during the current year and some new changes will be introduced.

 

New and increased charging for services:

 

• Car parking – additional annual income £10,000

Car parking charges will be raised. Charges will be introduced in some free car parking areas, along with a fee for charging electric cars.

 

• Youth clubs – additional annual income £12,000

It is proposed that the attendance fee at youth clubs will go up from £1 to £2.

 

• Garage rents – additional annual income £10,000

Rents for Council garages are going up by 10 per cent over and above the standard annual increase.

• Telecare – potential additional annual income £97,800

Unlike other local authorities, the Council has previously made no charge for telecare services. We will carry out a consultation on the possibility of introducing a weekly charge of £3.20.

• Frozen meals – additional annual income £25,000

We are increasing charges to cover the cost of the staff, supplies and services involved in providing frozen meals.

Charges will increase from £1.25 to £2.19 for a starter or dessert, from £3 to £5.63 for a main course, from £4.25 to £7.82 for a two-course meal, and from £5.50 to £10.01 for a three-course meal.

• Day care – potential additional annual income £54,400

Unlike other local authorities, the council has previously made no charge for people attending day care centres. We will carry out a consultation on the possibility of introducing a charge of £5 per day.