Picture: Daniel Forsyth. Image No.042287
IT was time for the public to have its say in the forthcoming Moray Council budget when a region-wide series of consultation roadshows visited Buckie. People from the Buckie area were invited to drop by the town’s library on Wednesday in order to share their views as to where the axe should – and should not – fall as the local authority looks to save £12 million from its 2019-20 budget, with a further £9 million of economies required the following year. On hand to listen to what the public had to say was community support officer Dawn Brodie, joined by local councillors Sonya Warren and Gordon Cowie. Councillor Warren, who is a member of the minority SNP administration which took office earlier this year, said there was a “dire financial mess” left to clear up from the previous Conservative-Independent ruling group. She told the Advertiser: “The truth is we’ve been left with a dire financial mess to deal with, the result of years of lack of leadership and vision by previous administrations. “Cuts to the money allocated to the Scottish Government by the Westminster Tory government have made this many times worse. “I would like to stress the imp
ortance of people submitting their views to this consultation and sharing their ideas of how we can move forward together. Nobody wants to cut or reduce services but that’s the legacy we’ve been left so we value more than ever the thoughts people have as to how we can provide services for less money.” Councillor Cowie said: “I would just like to say that it was not a brilliant turnout in Buckie but for those that did contribute it was very worthwhile.
“I can assure them that all of there comments will be taken very seriously. “It is a very difficult position that the council finds itself in and the only way is to tighten the purse strings. No stone will be left unturned, all ideas will be looked at very carefully. “If anyone who could not make it has any views, they should contact me directly and I will take them forward.” A spokesperson for Moray Council added: “Local residents, Moray
Council officers and councillors have attended all engagement sessions so far, with in-depth discussions held about the council’s current financial position and the implications of this on the services we deliver. “We’ve had constructive feedback from those attending these sessions, which will be collated and reported back to councillors.” For more information on the proposed savings and how to contribute to the consultation, visit www.moray.gov.uk The measures already decided to balance the budget include the commercialisation of leisure services, an increase in P2 and P3 class sizes to 30, from 25 and charging householders an annual fee of £36 for the collection of garden waste. Recycling centre hours are also set for an overhaul. Burial fees will be increased, in line with the Scottish average, while planning fees could also rise. In addition, the provision of essential skills and English for speakers of another language is being reduced. The authority is further looking to engage on a range of other proposals which could impact on services across the Moray area. They include reduced library opening hours at Buckie, Forres, Keith and Lossiemouth as well as the closure of the council’s museum service. Street sweeping could be reduced, as could grass cutting.