Calls have been made for the proposed overhaul of sport and leisure in the north-east to be at the heart of budget negotiations.
In the biggest change for a generation, Aberdeenshire Council is considering creating a charitable trust to oversee leisure in the region.
The proposal would save the taxpayer around £1million every year. Unlike the council, a charitable trust would not have to pay businesses rates.
Now the members of the Democratic Independent and Green Group (Digg) Martin Ford and Paul Johnston have called for consideration of the trust to be part of wider budget consultations.
Draft budget proposals will be unveiled by all the council’s political groups next Thursday before the public are consulted ahead of a final decision in February.
Last night Mr Ford said: “I’m really not keen on the charitable trust proposal for future delivery of sport and cultural services.
“If it was not for the potential financial benefits – possibly betterment in excess of £1million per annum – I don’t think the option would be under consideration.
“As it is, given the financial pressures on the council and anticipated need for future savings, using a council-owned charitable trust to deliver sport and cultural services has to be given serious consideration.”
Mr Ford has already described the project as a multimillion-pound “tax avoidance” scheme.
It is expected the council will have to make significant spending cuts in the coming budget, on top of savings already announced earlier this year.
Mr Johnston added: “As a group, the Digg aim to have a range of draft budget proposals ready for the November full council meeting, and will welcome the opportunity to get feedback and comment on these before the council sets its revenue budget
for 2017-18 next February.”
A council spokeswoman said: “The council’s education, learning and leisure committee recommended that full council consider the most appropriate form of consultation on the future delivery of sports and cultural services.
“This will form part of councillors’ discussions when they meet on November 24.”