Calls have been made to keep Aberdeenshire moving this winter despite fears a harsh cold snap could mean cash cuts to schools and other services.
Councillors met at Woodhill House today to discuss the local authority’s financial dilemma six months on from setting its budget.
At the moment, Aberdeenshire Council’s general fund, meaning the cash to be spent on essential work, is predicted to be facing an overspend of £3.5 million.
‘We need to keep rural roads open’
And previously, council leader Gillian Owen warned that a bad winter could come at a hefty price.
She told The Press and Journal that the local authority had stocks to deal with whatever comes, but no cash reserves to help as a back up.
But she today faced calls to divert funds from elsewhere to keep the roads gritted – no matter the consequences.
Banchory and Mid Deeside councillor Ann Ross begged council chiefs to top up the winter maintenance reserve pot to ensure the region can keep moving.
She said: “We need to replenish those reserves because we don’t know what kind of winter we are going to have.
“We need to keep rural roads open so that everybody can go to and from work, school and health appointments.”
Aberdeenshire winter gritting: Where did the cash go?
However, infrastructure boss Alan Wood explained that a tough winter last year used up all the backup cash…
He said: “Last year we had a particularly difficult winter – it was long, drawn out and required a lot of gritting.
“That put a pressure on the reserve and the decision was taken to fully utilise that and in the budget process, that wasn’t replenished.”
Mr Wood hopes there will still be enough to cover some of the money that has since been lost from the reserve.
Council leader ‘confident’ cash woes can be addressed
But, council leader Gillian Owen believes the worrying financial position is “manageable” and can be addressed.
She told the chamber she was “confident” the gap could be filled with “careful spending” during the remainder of the year.
“Despite financial challenges the council takes pride in the services we deliver, working with communities to make sure they are what is important to them,” she added.
Aberdeenshire Council budget ‘unsustainable’
Meanwhile, opposition leader Gwyneth Petrie asked for a budget review to always take place mid-year to allow councillors to learn more about the financial state of play.
“The budget that was set back at the start of the year was almost unsustainable and built on assumptions that we had not see come to bear,” she argued.
“For example, for a number of years now we had budgeted on the basis of a tenant coming to Woodhill House but that hasn’t come to be.
“The reality of the financial situation that we are now in is that we must realise that such assumptions are no longer possible going forward.
“We can’t base our budgets on things that are going to cost us in a year.”
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