Aberdeen City Council Special Report: Council 'has clear aim to get city's services on track'

Published on Friday 29 August 2008 21:40

In a statement Aberdeen city council leadership board said: "Aberdeen city council has one absolutely clear priority – to achieve the budget savings which are needed to put this local authority back on an even keel. Elected members, council officers and our external advisers are all working to that end.

"Very productive meetings have been held with the External Support Group, who can see that we have a clear plan of action for how we will make the necessary financial savings. We really appreciate the help they have been able to give us and their advice has been readily taken on board.

"The Leadership Board is also working as a team, with its entire focus on moving forward to achieve financial stability. We are really pleased, as is the External Support Group, on the progress we have made so far.

"A huge amount of work has been done in the last few weeks. There is lots of work still to do on the detail but the plan has been clearly mapped out with the assistance of the External Support Group. All the required savings have been identified and are being closely monitored by the all-party Leadership Board and the Budget Monitoring Board.

"Some of the specific savings are more challenging than others and once we have the work fully scoped may only be fully realised in 2009/10.

"Contingency arrangements will be relied upon if needed in the immediate year. Our budget managers clearly understand that the savings have to be made and are working extremely hard to deliver them.

"There may come a time when we have to look back and address the issues of how we got to this position – but that time is not now. Our collective effort must be to look ahead and move the council forward in a positive direction."