Members would note my article in Kinross Newsletter of March 2013 on the flawed budget process and Councillor Cuthbert’s unpublished letter regarding Independents circulated.
Nothing has changed and I suggest we again don’t present our own budget, given the political arithmetic in the Chamber and unsuccessful requests for dialogue with other groups. I suggest we draw up a list of how we would seek to use any ‘headroom’ (possibly £10 million over 2 years, depending on UK Autumn budget statement) and pass it to other groups and the press, suggesting we would support any other group’s budget that most closely accommodates our ideas.
First and foremost, the disproportionate cut to the Environment Services budget last time should be corrected viz:-
- Transfer £750,000 to Capital for A9777 mitigation measures (Chic Haggart told to stop working on outline business case from last budget failure because no capital changes planned.) A further £250,000 added to last year’s proposal for Powmill following Reporter’s findings on LDP.
- Transfer £300,000 to reserves as winter maintenance contingency.
- Bring forward money for Core Paths £500,000 and/or put money back into the footpath budget for maintenance and initiatives of £500,000.
- Put back £500,000 into road maintenance and extra gulley clearance.
- Put back £100,000 into funding the local bus network and find new money for bus shelters.
- Put back £100,000 into bridge inspection and maintenance.
- Increase budget for works to private/unadopted roads, where community agree to share costs, by another £100,000.
- Put back £100,000 into grounds maintenance.
- Reinstate money for roadside verge cutting at junctions on safety grounds to be more than once a year – details for Kinross-shire Ward sent to Barbara Renton.
- Make budget provision for community waste find of £300,000.
- Ask Environment Service/Planning where staff cuts have impacted most? Increase spending on Enforcement and Secretarial assistance for roads improvements/safety and planning.
- Review street lighting provision and move to lower illumination, particularly in rural areas.
- Review brown bin collection and increase roll-out of kerbside collections.
For Education:
(a) Put back £50,000 for school crossing patrollers at road locations identified as necessary on safety grounds, following review.
(b) Re-examine reductions in library opening times with a view to reversing same.
For Property:
(a) Increase maintenance provision for PKC public buildings, particularly derelict and surplus one.