Cuts at skint city council

Published on Monday 13 September 2010 17:44

WHEELIE-bin collections would be reduced to fortnightly, care homes and day-care services would face the axe, more than a dozen public toilets would close and a community recycling centre would be shut down under a new round of savage cuts proposed by city chiefs.

&#149 The council's bid to make 90 million of savings will see wheelie bins picked up fortnightly instead of weekly, care homes shut down and the recycling centre at Braehead closed

The Evening News can today reveal full details of another 72 savings, worth 26.8 million, drawn up by city council officials. They would take the total value of savings already identified up to 42.9m.

It is estimated the cuts could lead to the loss of around 880 council jobs.

But the council still needs to find more savings if it is to plug a gap in its finances, which is estimated to total more than 90m over the next three years.

The cuts, which are due to be presented to councillors later today, cut across every area of city life.

They include the closure of the Braehead Community Recycling Depot near the Gyle, as well as changing residential wheelie-bin collections to fortnightly instead of weekly.

One in three of the city's school-crossing patrols would also be axed - as revealed by the News last week - while local libraries could face having their hours slashed.

Healthcare would be hit, with up to two care homes and two day-care centres facing the axe, as well as residential facilities for people with learning disabilities and mental problems.

And 15 of the 31 public toilets spread throughout the city face being closed down, while the controversial garden-aid charge for elderly people who need help cutting their grass - only introduced earlier this year - would be doubled to 150.

Consultation will now get under way, and councillors will be asked to decide whether they want to drop any of the proposals in the budget process for the year starting next April.

Council leader Jenny Dawe said: "There are going to be things in there that, politically, we feel are not acceptable and the community engagement may throw up things that we have not thought of that there may be an adverse reaction to. "But the 90m figure is a best-case scenario depending on the spending review of October 20 and John Swinney's decisions after that, so we won't know the full figure that needs to be saved until later in the year."

Further proposals are expected from officials on property savings - which could impact everything from schools, libraries and museums to council offices and cultural venues.

Council chiefs also hope to make huge savings from their ongoing "alternative business models", which could see more than a dozen services and up to 3000 council jobs fall into the hands of private firms.

Cllr Dawe admited that the change to fortnightly wheelie-bin collections - already introduced in 19 of Scotland's 32 councils - would prove among the most controversial options. It is estimated that the change will save 900,000.

She said: "It is important that it is looked at in the context of improved recycling. There has been an increase in means of disposing of items, so that means people have less to put in their bins."

However, many will think the proposed closure of the Braehead recycling facility - within the ward of both Cllr Dawe and environment leader Robert Aldridge - contrasts with the aim of increasing recycling.

Cllr Dawe said: "Clearly it gives a reasonable cost reduction. The suggestion is that Sighthill (recycling centre) is close enough for it not to have too much of an impact. Three or four years ago we had some horrendous problems with fly-tipping and we would want to ensure that does not happen again if this is closed."

The proposal to close 15 of the city's 30 public toilets is expected to prove controversial among Liberal Democrats, whose manifesto at the last election included a pledge to improve public toilet provision.

But council chiefs are already drawing up proposals that could see businesses offered reduced business rates if they agree to make their toilets available to the public.

"It may be one where it would be acceptable to members of the public if there are half the facilities if you can open up more private facilities," said Cllr Dawe.

The first of six local budget "summits" start tomorrow at the St Bride's Community Centre.

Unison, the union representing most council workers in Edinburgh, slammed the cuts as "savage and unnecessary".

John Stevenson, Edinburgh Unison President, said: "The sheer size of the sums involved must mean the loss of entire services for the people of Edinburgh and potentially thousands of jobs - jobs that Edinburgh's economy relies on.

Education

Janitors for all types of schools would work on a 'cluster' basis over a wider area than just one school, with around 40 posts likely to be impacted.

Among options for secondary schools that could unleash 3.3 million of savings are librarians, technicians and administrative assistants being asked to work term-time only, as well as a reduction in support staff numbers. And head teachers would be allowed flexibility on class sizes.

786,000 of savings are proposed in primary schools over the next three years, including a reduction of the amount of "management time" reserved for senior teaching staff, increasing income and improving energy efficiency. Another 188,000 of savings are proposed in special schools.

Nursery managers could be made responsible for more than one centre.

An alternative option is to increase the amount of time teachers spend in the classroom by 30 minutes a day. It is estimated that the move could save Edinburgh more than 5m over two years.

Environment

Reducing wheelie bin collections to fortnightly - alongside the introduction of food waste recycling and changes to routes - will save 180,000 next year.

A 500,000 saving has been proposed from plans to reduce the working hours of the council's noise teams, with as many as 10 of the 31 jobs likely to go.

The closure of the Braehead Community Recycling Centre will leave the city with only three recycling facilities, although council officials hope that people will use the nearby Sighthill depot instead.

It is expected to lead to a 237,000 saving next year but with the possible loss of eight jobs.

Health

Edinburgh's oldest charity, Blindcraft - which employs disabled and blind people to make beds that are then sold - is to be closed down in order to save 700,000 a year.

Two of the council's nine day care centres would be closed, saving 121,000 a year.

One or two of the 15 council-owned care homes would be closed, to save up to 250,000 over two years.

One of three council-run respite units providing short breaks for people with learning disabilities would be axed, saving 431,000.

And one of the three residential units offering up to two years of post-hospital support for people with mental health problems would be closed, saving 125,253.

Internal changes & external funding

ALL of the city's neighbourhood partnerships - set up to help increase local involvement in decision-making and ensure localised improvements take place - would be axed to save 559,000.

Cultural grants are to be slashed by four per cent, or 138,000, while the removal of one senior sports officer post through retirement will save 65,627.

The Glasgow Edinburgh Collaboration initiative - created to help bring together Scotland's two biggest cities - would be axed from next April to save 46,015 a year.

A 46,000 reduction in the events budget is proposed, while human resources costs are to be reduced by 84,000 over three years. A senior management reshuffle is proposed by the council's corporate services department that could save nearly 100,000 over two years.

Community services

Some of the city's 26 local libraries could close, while others face reductions in their opening hours in order to save 1.5 million by 2012/13. But the changes could result in libraries opening within other facilities, such as a community centre.

Half of the city's 30 public toilets face being closed, with up to 413,000 of savings from reduced staffing and cleaning materials - as well as the possible sale of the buildings. But officials admit the proposal might result in increased antisocial behaviour and could impact the city economy and tourist industry.

A 75 fee for elderly people who need help cutting their grass - previously a free service - was introduced in April. But officials now propose doubling the fee to 150.

Three of the 11 countryside rangers that manage Pentland Hills Regional Park, city nature reserves and parks would be axed, as well as two gardeners from the three botanic gardens and two of the 12 staff that maintain the city's parks, in order to save 197,000.

Funding to police would be reduced by 300,000, or 12 per cent.

The community concierge service would be withdrawn, with wardens asked to take on an enforcement role focusing on the most serious complaints, to save 597,000.